Delta And The Bannermen Rewritten
by Tineyboppa
Summary: AU. A rewrite of the Classic Who Story Delta And The Bannermen. It contains less violence than the original, is set in Australia, and a character has been replaced with my own. The novelisation by Malcolm Kohll is used heavily. Original story and characters owned by the BBC. As the ten billionth customers at a space tollport the Doctor and Mel win the Grand Prize.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

The time traveller known as the Doctor chuckled to himself. Of all his multifarious incarnations, this was one of the nicest. He was, in fact, old beyond reason, but he inhabited the ever-present universe of the 'now'. Time, like a limitless ocean, spread out about him on all sides. He appeared to be in what could charitably be described as early middle age. He still had sufficient energy to scuttle around like a young man, but had acquired enough thoughtfulness to ensure that he was always taken seriously.

"One lump of two?" asked Mel, his bubbly young assistant, coming from the galley bearing a steaming tea-tray. "Make it one," said the Doctor. "I can't abide too much sweetness!"

They drank their tea in silence. On the bridge of the Doctor's remarkable vessel, the hidden light source bathed everything in a soft glow. The TARDIS, an acronym of Time And Relative Dimension In Space, was due for a major overhaul. The faulty steering mechanism needed to be repaired and it was for this reason that the Doctor was taking it easy. Also, the chameleon circuit needed looking into – the device which enabled the TARDIS to blend in unnoticed wherever it landed. At the moment the vessel was disguised as a blue police telephone box, complete with a flashing blue light. While this provided perfect cover for Great Britain in the 1950s, it made the TARDIS stick out like a sore thumb whenever it went anywhere else.

"Would you like a digestive biscuit, Doctor?" asked Mel.

"Hmm? Oh, no thank you – I find them structurally unsound."

"You mean they fall into the cup when you dunk them?" said Mel.

"Correct," replied the Doctor putting up his feet and draining the last drops from his teacup.

The TARDIS streaked through the vacuum of space...


	2. Chapter One

**To begin with the story is identical to the TV episode and novelisation. This will change in a future chapter.**

**Chapter One**

The tollport hovered in space like a gigantic dandelion, infra-red flightpaths radiating from its central core in every direction. Inside the TARDIS the Doctor locked onto the landing trajectory and turned to the scanner as the tollport slowly filled the screen. Mel sat quietly watching the time rotor sigh and hiss through its rhythmic oscillation, eager to be through the tollport and speeding towards their next destination. She found the whole business of paying a fee to be allowed to travel through infinite space something of a paradox, but the Doctor had assured her that the fees which were raised allowed the Confederation to erect barriers at some of the more dangerous hyperpasses. When all was said and done, Mel would rather suffer a slight inconvenience than expose anyone to unnecessary danger.

The TARDIS tripped the automatic incoming warning device, triggering the loudspeaker inside the control room. The tinny mechanical voice spoke its bland message: "Attention, incoming craft, you're approaching Tollport G seven one five. Please have your credits ready."

The Doctor started rummaging through his pockets, searching in vain for any credits.

"It's strange how in some galaxies these tollports spring up all over the place like mushrooms," said the Doctor. "Yet in others you can go for light years without seeing a single one." The Doctor drew a large spotted hankie from his pocket and dropped it on the flight deck before him. Bathed in a luminescent glow from the instrument panel the hankie ball appeared to throb with life. The Doctor carefully unfolded it, hoping to find a credit hidden within its folds. All he found was a fluff-covered humbug.

Mel was staring anxiously at the scanner, "Er … Doctor ..." The Doctor popped the sweet into his mouth. Unaware of Mel he continued with his theory. "I think it relates to the way that space is being developed. I mean, there never has been a consistent three dimensional planning policy."

Meanwhile, Mel's face had grown grave. Something on the screen was worrying her.

"Doctor," Mel tried again. "Something doesn't look right. Only the landing lights are on. It looks abandoned."

But the Doctor was by now so absorbed in his diatribe against haphazard planning that he barely heard her. "And by completely ignoring the overspill from the fourth dimension they sometimes build one port right on top of the other," said the Doctor, ignoring Mel. "Only realising it when there's an interface slippage."

On the scanner the tollport appeared grey and lifeless. Mel's tone had become urgent, "Doctor, this is serious. There's something wrong..."

"Yes," said the Doctor. "It is serious. I don't seem to have any change." The grim-looking tollport now filled the scanner screen. "Er, please take five credits from the kitty, Mel."

Mel takes a striped tin can from under the console and looks inside – empty! "There's nothing in here. Again!" moaned Mel. A look of bemused interest flashed across the Doctor's face. "That kitty defies all known laws of physics," said the Doctor. "I keep filling it up and it's always empty." He turned to the scanner and his face suddenly set in consternation. "Mel!" he whispered urgently, "There's something wrong. Only their landing lights are on!"

Mel gave the Doctor a sideways glance which was more eloquent than anything she could possibly have said.

The TARDIS sank gently onto the target markings on the runway – three concentric rings on a concrete slab. The time rotor gave a final sigh and shut down as the flashing lights went out. They had landed.

A familiar voice makes a tannoy announcement in a large hangar area: "Tollport G seven one five. Please have your credits ready."

The TARDIS had stopped outside a huge hangar with the toll identification boldly written on the side, in all the major languages of the galaxy. To the right of the hangar was a small tollbooth with the toll fees displayed on a large board beside it. The TARDIS was lit by a single harsh spotlight, the rest of the complex being cloaked in the inky blackness of deep space. Trails of mist blew across the cold runway, adding to the impression that the station had been sacked or abandoned in great haste.

The TARDIS door slowly eased open and the Doctor peered cautiously out.

"Tollport G seven one five", came the Tollmaster's voice again. "Tollport G seven one five."

"Mel, I don't like the look of this one little bit," said the Doctor.

"Me too," said Mel, emerging stealthily behind him. "It's spooky."

"Get ready to run back into the Tardis at the first sign of trouble," said the Doctor. He was straining to pierce the murky gloom when suddenly a brilliant spotlight flashed on, catching Mel and the Doctor in its harsh glare. A loud "HALT!" echoed across the runway.

The Doctor shielded his eyes against the glare. "Who's there?" demanded the Doctor. "Why don't you come out of the light and show yourself?"

The tollbooth and the runway became a blaze of lights. Revealed in the tollbooth window was the Tollmaster, a scaly alien wearing a purple sequined jacket and peaked cap. He was blowing a party razzer and grinning from ear to ear, his lips curling back to exhibit a fine set of large white teeth. He seemed in high spirits and gave his razzer one last blow before crying excitedly, "Surprise, surprise! Welcome, friends. A thousand welcomes."

The Doctor, realizing that danger was past, now became irritable at having been the butt of a joke.

"It's a funny way to welcome your friends," said the Doctor. "We thought you'd been attacked by space pirates. We were about to warn the authorities. Now, about this toll fee..." He started rummaging through his pockets again. Although he knew it would be fruitless, he always thought it was worth making the gesture.

The Tollmaster dismissed the Doctor's efforts with a wave.

"Tonight is your lucky night. _Because _You are our ten billionth customer!" said the Tollmaster. Leaning out of the window he pointed to a flashing string of digits pulsing above the tollbooth.

The Doctor, however, had no plans to stay and join in the celebrations. "_Ten billion customers? _Well, congratulations. Now, if we can just settle up and be on our way..."

The Tollmaster, temporarily deflated, quickly interrupted the Doctor. "But you've won the grand prize!"

Mel, who until now had watched the exchange in silence, suddenly became animated. "Oh really! What is it? I've never won anything before," she cried, hopping from foot to foot in excitement.

The Tollmaster, delighted at last to have a receptive audience, directed his answer to Mel.

"You have won our Exciting Eighties tour. A week, a whole week, in Disneyland, planet Earth. And this time, they're going back to 1988, a great year. I wish I was as lucky as you."

Mel's face broke into a huge smile. "Oh, that's fantastic! Oh, let's go, Doctor. Please agree. I haven't been to Earth in ages. _Our last holiday wasn't exactly ice hot. Oh, please?" _Mel turned her soft eyes to the Doctor, using her best Spaniel look to try and melt his heart and change his mind. She was put in mind of the sparrow trying to sharpen its beak on the rock of time.

But surprisingly it worked, because the next thing the Doctor found himself saying was, _"A holiday? Yes, a week's holiday would be quite pleasant, _now that I think about it_. A _rolling _green sward, a babbling brook, birds twittering. _Exactly what's needed, a large dose of tranquillity._" _He closed his eyes in thought; he could almost feel the cool breeze and smell the sweet scent of new-mown grass.


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

The sustained fire from a squad of Bannermen soldiers sent rock chips flying from the rough-hewn walls of the Frontier. Huge boulders which acted as defence barriers for the Chimerons were almost obliterated in palls of sulphurous smoke.

Chumeria, known as the Garden Planet of the Universe, was under attack. The warlike Bannermen, after making their own world uninhabitable by polluting its rivers and atmosphere, had devised a simple plan – to annihilate the passive Chimerons and take over their world. At the head of the shock troops was Gavrok, who with his scarlet eyes and fierce nature had earned for himself, in a few short aeons, one of the most ferocious reputations in the galaxy; he wasn't known as 'Gavrok the Merciless' for any philanthropic endeavour.

Chumeria's inhabitants, the peace-loving Chimerons were soft and pupa-like with silvery green skins and vivid blue eyes. Having lived tranquilly for thousands of years the Chimerons were unaccustomed to battle and were helpless before the savage and relentless onslaught of the Bannermen.

The first wave of shock troops had all but obliterated the Chimeron defences and now Gavrock had only to mop up. He stood on a large shattered rock, an awesome sight in his black military uniform. Slung across his chest was a powerful ray gun and in his left hand, raised aloft, he clutched a huge spear from which long black pennants fluttered wildly in the wind – the insignia of his empire. He pressed to his lips a grotesquely carved curling horn, and blowing a low mournful note which echoed across the fractured valley, he rallied his troops.

There were only a handful of Chimerons left, and they were engaged in desperate hand-to-hand fighting with the Bannermen. In the front line was Delta, the Chimeron Queen, surely one of the most beautiful creatures in the Universe. Unlike her subjects she was more humanoid in appearance with delicate translucent skin tone – more pink than green, the mark of royalty amongst the Chimerons.

Phaser in hand, Delta was pressed into a rocky gap with one of her bodyguards, watching in horror as her people and planet were falling under alien boot. Gavrok shouted across the clash of weapons and clamour of battle, "Take no prisoners!" cried Gavrok. "Kill them all!" And raised the horn for another dismal bellow.

Delta had had enough. She was enraged at the death and destruction which the murderous Bannermen had brought to her beloved planet. She popped out of her hiding space and aimed her phaser. Gavrok's horn exploded into a thousand pieces, almost knocking him off the rock with the force of the blast. Rage flashed across his sinister features.

Exhausted by the fray, Delta turned to her bodyguard. "Are you strong enough to run?" asked Delta.

"Run where?" asked Chima. "They've firebombed every ship we have."

"Then we'll have to take one of theirs," replied Delta, setting her lips. By now, she was well aware of Gavrok's evil plan to exterminate her people, and although it saddened her to flee her stricken planet, she knew it was necessary to prevent the wholesale destruction of the Chimeron race.

With grim determination she pointed through the fog towards the squat black Bannerman fighter, bristling with weapons. "Now!" she yelled as she and the bodyguard rushed from their hiding place. Gavrok's troops opened fire on the fugitives racing towards their ship. Weaving their way through splintered rock they narrowly avoided the vaporizing rays of a hundred Bannermen phasers.

The Bannerman soldier guarding the fighter loomed up in front of Delta. She snapped off a shot and he slumped down as the energy beam stunned him. Delta and her bodyguard pushed him aside and ran up the ramp into the ship. "I'll cover the hatch while you retract the anchor ballast," she gasped.

She bravely faced the door, hoping to keep off the wave of hostile troops which would appear at any moment. The royal bodyguard gave a cry, causing her to spin around. Gavrok was standing behind them with an ugly leer on his face and a glowing blaster in his hand. Delta's bodyguard was lying on the floor.

"You are the last survivor," hissed Gavrok. "But not for long. Move!" He gestured with his blaster for Delta to go through the hatch. She slowly raised her hands as Gavrok's ugly bulk advanced towards her, forcing her towards the hatch and certain death.

Suddenly a beam took him full in the shoulder, catapulting him out of the hatch. With lightning reactions Delta slammed it shut and spun the rotalock. Muffled banging and cries of rage came to her through the armour plating.

Delta turned to her fallen bodyguard, his weapon still in his hand. He was fading fast. "_You saved my life," _she said, crouching beside the mortally wounded Chimeron.

"_Go," _urged Chima. "Get away. Take this with you." Although very weak and in great pain he rolled over and produced a large silver orb from a pack on his back.

As Delta took the orb the Chimeron gave a final gurgle and died. A high pitched whining noise snapped her out of her painful reverie – the Bannermen were using a sonic drill and would soon smash through the rotalock. Delta jumped into the pilot's seat and started frantically punching the controls. With more luck than skill the ship gave a shuddering groan and blasted off...


	4. Chapter Three

**Ok, so this is where we diverge a little from the original story. Instead of being set in Wales, UK, it is in New South Wales, Australia. Also I have changed the year from 1959 to 1988.**

**Chapter Three**

Planet Earth. The blue orb was turning peacefully in space. A Morris Minor slowly puttered down a narrow road meandering through the bush in New South Wales, Australia. Peering over the wheel was a skinny American with a crewcut and glasses – Hawk.

Seated beside him was a fellow countryman in a denim jacket with an ungainly paunch rolling over the top of his acid wash jeans – Weismuller. Their dress was highly fashionable for its time – the time in question being 1988.

Hawk and Weismuller were more reminiscent of suburban America than the Australian hinterland and looked strangely out of place. Within intelligence circles, the Australian assignment was seen as being one of the most boring postings in the world – in fact it had become an established dinner party joke. Unfortunately, Hawk and Weismuller were used to the privileged position of being secret agents under the direct control of the President himself, and this lonely posting was generally seen as a demotion. Yet they both knew that if they were conscientious in their work they would soon be home, and eligible for promotion once more.

The Morris stopped at a lay-by and two Americans got out. Glancing nervously around, Weismuller rolled up his sleeve and plunged his arm into a hollow tree trunk. He produced a small silver aluminium can, similar to a film canister, with a tight screw-top lid. Inside the can was a message on a slip of rolled-up paper.

Weismuller read the message with a heavy heart and passed it to Hawk. Hawk read the note. When he had finished he screwed the paper up into a tight ball and eyed it distastefully. With a sideways glance at Weismuller, Hawk gave a sigh and reluctantly put the paper ball in his mouth. He proceeded to chew the minute mouthful, and after what seemed like an eternity swallowed hard and it was gone.

Satisfied, Weismuller started back towards the car, saying, "I never had a red alert before."

"Me neither," said Hawk, sucking on his teeth.

"I think we'd better find a telephone real fast," said Weismuller, all business.

Hawk looked around – there were trees as far as he could see. "Out here?" asked Hawk. Weismuller started the engine.

Half an hour later the Morris appeared over the crest of a hill. There, below them at the side of the road was a telephone. Weismuller cut the engine and coasted to a halt beside it. He produced a small codebook from the cubby hole and clutching it furtively to his chest, he got out of the car and crossed to the telephone. At the same time Hawk reached under his seat for a small brass telescope. Winding the car window down he scanned the horizon. Since his side faced only the telephone and a high cliff there was very little to see. The main sweep of the valley fell away in the opposite direction, a fact missed by Hawk since he was far too comfortable to leave the car. Weismuller lifted the telephone receiver and dials the operator. Moments later he was connected. "Hello, will you put me through to the White House, Washington DC?" asked Weismuller. "This is a priority call, code eleven."

The line crackled and hummed. Finally the phone came alive. Weismuller stood to attention. "Hello? This is Agent Jerome P Weismuller speaking from New South Wales, in Australia," said Weismuller. "Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Oh, oh yes, sir. We'll get right on it, sir." He puts the telephone back, lookinng stunned. Throwing his shoulders back he strode over to the car and Hawk.

"Well?" asked Hawk.

"That was no less than the President's right hand man," replied Weismuller, seeming very impressed. "Wow!"

By this time Hawk's patience was wearing thin. "Come on, Weismuller, spill the beans," said Hawk. "Why the red alert?"

Weismuller glanced nervously around, then leant forward in a confidential whisper. "He says that Cape Canaveral has just fired a space rocket with an artificial satellite," replied Weismuller.

Hawk blinked in disbelief then started grinning. "This is history in the making, Weismuller," said Hawk. Then his brow wrinkled, "Uh … What are we supposed to do about it?"

Weismuller gestured at the expanse of sky. "Surveillance, Hawk, surveillance," replied Weismuller. "We've been selected. It's our job to track the thing."

Hawk gave a low whistle. Weismuller got into the car. The silence was broken by the grind of the starter motor, and they moved away through the Eucalypts.


	5. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

Behind the tollbooth was a vast hangar, entered through a labyrinth of passages. Dimly lit and damp, the passages reminded Mel of the underground burial chambers she and the Doctor visited on the planet Zoth. She remembered thinking at the time that the cold dank air seemed completely void of life, as if it hadn't been exposed to the energy of a living organism, however small, for aeons and aeons. That's what it felt like here, although she knew it couldn't possibly be true. Peering through the gloom Mel could see that the walls had been decorated with murals. At one time they must have been brightly coloured, but the paint had grown dull and cracked over the years. The murals depicted space travellers from countless galaxies. She recognized Solterns, Giboks and those funny little creatures the Wormese, who, without the aid of appendages of any kind, propel themselves along by the sheer force of their exhalations.

The Doctor peeled back a large flake of paint. "Aha, just as I thought," he said. "Of a very inferior quality. This paint is barely two thousand years old. Lack of central planning again, I'm afraid. It's a wonder these places last as long as they do." The Doctor shook his head and sighed deeply.

The Tollmaster was leading the Doctor and Mel through a maze. In her hand Mel clutched her small suitcase."Are we going to have a whole space cruiser to ourselves?" asked Mel.

"Oh, no," replied the Tollmaster. "You're going on a scheduled tour with the Navarinos – from the tri-polar moon Navarro. Squat hairy beings which resemble artichokes, I believe."

"Won't they be a little conspicuous on Earth?"

"Oh, I don't think so," replied the Tollmaster as they suddenly rounded a bend and saw the great expanse of open hangar before them. "Not now. They've been through a transformation arch."

A 50s streamliner bus with 'Nostalgia Trips' written on the side was parked before them. Beside the bus was a square metallic arch, surrounded by a group of people all in 1950's clothes. They were all trying to urge a round, leafy, hairy creature to enter the arch. Emitting shrill whistling noises it waddled towards the arch, hesitated a few moments and then retreated back to its original position. Finally, with a mixture of taunts and cat-calls they encouraged the Navarino to go through the hoop to be transformed into creatures who would pass for humans on a day out. The Doctor looked somewhat sceptically at the leafy being, "Is that one of the tourists?" he asked.

"No, that's Murray, your pilot," replied the Tollmaster.

"Oh, this is going to be very interesting," muttered the Doctor, his eyes resting on the side of the bus.

"What is?" asked Mel.

"Nostalgia Trips," replied the Doctor. The most notorious travel firm in the five galaxies. It was a Nostalgia Trip cruiser that got stuck with the glass eaters of Tharl." The Tollmaster turning to the Doctor gave him a brittle smile. "Yes, well, they may have had one or two little problems in the past, but that's all sorted out now. This trip is going to be different. You'll see..." he said. The Doctor gave a half smile but remained silent.

Mel was flicking through the glossy brochure which the Tollmaster had given her earlier. "But the brochure shows a space cruiser, not an old bus," cried Mel.

"Old bus? This is a very expensive conversion," defended the Tollmaster. "The chassis and the engine, they're from a Helstrom Two, the very latest thing in space cruisers. The old-fashioned bodywork, well, that's just to please the tourists. They expect everything to be original, even down to the transport. We're not fools, you know."

Finally the Navarino hopped through the arch. In a blaze of light it emerged as a chubby human in a wrinkled bus driver's uniform. He turned to the Doctor, saying, "I've been through that thing a hundred times and I still don't like it. I always expect it to malfunction just as I'm going through. That would be a fine thing, to end up half humanoid and half Navarino. Anyway, welcome aboard. I'm Murray."

"I'm Mel and this is the Doctor," said Mel. Murray's face lit up. "That's great! Knowing Nostalgia Trips, we may need a doctor."

The tollmaster flashed Murray an irate glance. "That's why the tourists like him – for his wry sense of humour," he chuckled sheepishly.

Ignoring the Tollmaster's remark, Murray turned to the waiting tourists. "Come on, folks. All aboard!" he said and started shepherding the passengers onto the waiting bus.

The Doctor and Mel were the last to step up, but the Doctor turned aside at the last moment. "Mel, you go ahead on the bus," said the Doctor. "I'll follow on in the Tardis."

Murray raised an eyebrow in query but got onto the bus behind Mel. "What's the matter? You don't think the old bus'll make it, Doctor?" asked Murray. "Take my advice and don't be fooled by appearances. Underneath this streamliner shell is a Helstrom Fireball engine. None finer." Murray shut the door with a bang, causing the wing mirror to drop off. The hangar doors started to slide open.

"Come along, folks! All aboard. Have fun. Remember your time. 1959. Is that your husband or have you brought the bulldog with you? Oh, kiss me quick. My goodness me, what a time we're going to have," cried the Tollmaster, blowing on his razzer one last time as the bus fired up its engines and turned to towards the black night.


	6. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

Delta set the Bannerman craft on autopilot and went to kneel beside her dead bodyguard. A tear rolled down her cheek as she remembered friends and family, cut down by the barbarous Gavrok. Just then the video screen flickered into life. There in front of her was the malevolent face of the Bannerman commander, his shoulder bandaged and bloody. Gavrok had an ugly smirk on his face.

"You cannot escape me," hissed Gavrok. "Wherever you go, I will track you down."

"How many of my people are left?" Delta asked in a quavering voice. Seeing her distress Gavrock started to shake with laughter, a dry rasping sound that turned Delta's heart to ice. "You are the last," Gavrok spat at her. "Turn back. There is nowhere you can hide."

Delta's eye fell on the flashing green light of the ship's homing device. "Your trace finder can follow my ship," said Delta. "But you'll never take me. Never!" She punched a button which abruptly shut down the video screen.

Desolately, she sank back into her seat, not knowing what to do next. Her concentration was interrupted by a mechanical warning signal: "Attention, incoming craft. You are approaching Tollport G seven one five. Please have your credits ready." Delta swung around. She raised her weapon and aimed point-blank at the flashing green signal generator, knocking it out of action. Freeing the auto drive, she took over the controls, wrenching the ship into a tight turn.

On board an identical fighter Gavrok was leering at his viewer screen which showed the regular blip of Delta's craft. Suddenly the blip went out. Gavrok banged the device with a gloved hand. "She's somehow switched off the homing trace. Visual pursuit!" he ordered.

The ship's pilot activated the optical viewer. In the distance Delta's craft suddenly veered steeply to one side, disappearing completely from the screen. "Copy her vector!" barked Gavrok at his long-suffering pilot. The pilot pulled the controls into a steep angle. "You're overshooting, fool! She's ducked into that space toll!" shrieked Gavrok.

Just then, unaware of the effect it might have, the synthesized voice cut in with its now-familiar litany. "Attention, incoming craft. You're approaching..." It never managed to finish its message because Gavrok puts his fist through the speaker, silencing it for good. He glared at the pilot as their ship raced past the tollport and turned tightly, ready for a return run.

Down on the tollport surface the bus rumbled out of the hangar onto the apron and stopped beside the TARDIS. It was guided into position by the tollport navigator waving what resembled huge ping-pong bats. As the bus went through a pre-launch check the sky was split by the scream of a jet engine. Using maximum reverse thrust, Delta managed to stop her craft within metres of the cruiser. Her ship's hatch flew open and she sprinted across the runway to the bus, tightly clutching the silver orb. Delta jumped aboard, avoiding the searching looks of the other passengers. Murray simply assumed that she was a latecomer and continued feeding power to the engines.

As the bus started its run, Delta glanced out of the window catching the Doctor's eye. He was standing beside the TARDIS, his forehead wrinkled in thought. Satisfied with the checks, Murray opened up the engines to full thrust.

The Doctor blocked his ears against the high-pitched whine and clutched at his hat as the strong backwash enveloped him. There was a brief incandescence and a screech of afterburners, then it was gone. In the sudden silence that followed, the Doctor turned his eyes skywards, scanning the void, searching for a clue. Seeing nothing unusual amongst the constellations and distant star clusters, he entered the TARDIS.

Meanwhile, in outer space, the bus was heading towards Earth, its cargo of holiday-makers looking forward to their trip. The inky blackness outside the windows provided no clues as to their destination. A star cluster occasionally lit up the void as they hurtled through time and space. But the tourists inside the bus didn't seem to notice; they were only concerned with having fun. The excited buzz of conversation filled the air as snacks and liquid refreshments were consumed at an alarming rate – the Navarinos were well known for their enormous appetites.

Murray throught he'd create the right ambience for the journey by putting on a recording of Bill Haley's 'Rock Around the Clock'. He leaned forward to the microphone and addressed the passengers. "Please keep your lapstraps fastened during the flight, and no dancing in the aisles Now, are we all feeling fine?"

"YES!" they all chorused.

"All right," said Murray, setting the time indicator, "1959, here we come!"


	7. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six**

Meanwhile, in rural New South Wales, Hawk and Weismuller had stopped beside a small picturesque stream strewn with mossy rocks and shaded with trees. Perched at the edge of a large rock, Weismuller was trying to operate a radio set, which was connected to the Morris's battery.

Balancing it precariously on his knees, he clamped the earphones to his head as he tried in vain to pick up a signal from the invisible satellite. Hawk was up a tree, trying to locate the aerial wire as high as possible. Three curious sheep watched these strange proceedings, their dull faces turned towards the odd couple.

**"**That better? Do you hear anything yet?" shouted Hawk irritably, his shins already skinned from the rough tree-trunk.

The receiver set is in a wicker picnic hamper.

**"**No, no, nothing," replied Weismuller glumly. "All I get is something called Housewives' Choice. I can't even get any rock music."

**"**No signal from the satellite?" asked Hawk.

**"**No," replied Weismuller. "Come on down. You try..."

He took off the headphones and offered them up. Hawk slowly climbed out of the tree, awkwardly feeling every step of the way. Weismuller was irritated by Hawk's painful progress, and snatching up the brass telescope he extended it skywards. "I tell you, it's hopeless, Hawk. That thing could be anywhere..." said Weismuller gloomily.

High above them on the fringes of the stratosphere, an American rocket boosted its crude artificial satellite into a higher orbit, while the glowing metal fuselage dropped back into the ocean.

In another part of the galaxy, Murray was trying to get the bus passengers into a holiday mood. **"**Come on now," shouted Murray. "All of you sing."

Mel, who was sitting beside Delta, joined in with the chorus, but out of the corner of her eye she was watching the beautiful, sad woman seated beside her. Someone else had noticed her too. Lurking behind wraparound black shades was Keillor, a bounty hunter, his scarred cadaverous face revealing nothing as he stared at Delta. Keillor was a highly experienced professional and sensed immediately that Delta was no ordinary tourist.

He had intended a week away from the stress of 'freelance soldiering' as he called it, but his mind was already working overtime on all the possibilities of the case. If something was going on he had no intention of missing out on it. He thought perhaps he could kill two birds with one stone, that is, earn some currency and have a holiday at the same time.

Earth appeared through the panoramic windscreen. The satellite, accelerating at thousands of miles per hour, was rushing straight towards them.

The singing had died down and Mel leant forward to have a chat with Murray. **"**Do you often do the Fifties run?" asked Mel.

Murray's face lit up. **"**Ah ha. I love that sort of thing. The music, the haircuts, the baggy suits."

Mel nodded in agreement. "The music's the thing that attracts me," she said. She turned to Delta with a smile. "Where are you from?" Mel asked.

Murray watched them through the mirror, straining to hear their conversation. **"**You're not a late arrival from the Navarino party, are you?" asked Murray.

Delta looked him straight in the eye. **"**No," replied Delta, lifting her chin defiantly. "I'm a Chimeron."

Keillor, a few seats away, made a note in a small black book. Just then there is a spine-jarring CRASH! As the satellite tore into the front of the bus, sending it into a corkscrew dive, hurtling towards Earth's surface. Passengers start screaming and clung to one another in terror as Murray fought with the controls to try and bring the damaged craft around. Luggage ripped free of the racks and crashed down onto the hapless tourists. Food and drink filled the aisle.


	8. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven**

**Rural New South Wales:**

Hawk and Weismuller, after several fruitless hours trying to pluck signals from the ether, had returned to the hillside phonebox. Weismuller, reluctant to admit failure, was still scanning the skies with his brass telescope.

"Forget it, Weismuller," said Hawk. "Without those coordinates, we're shooting in the dark."

"Well," said his partner huffily, "I am not making that call, and that's that. No sir! I wanna skedaddle out of this place. You know it's been so long I can't even picture May's face anymore."

"So what's to complain about," Hawk mumbled to himself.

"What's that?"

"Nothing," said Hawk. By this time he was getting impatient. "The boss said we were to share everything," said Hawk. "That includes responsibility, you know."

Weismuller held up his hand to silence further debate. "Just make the call, Lex," he said.

Before Hawk had a chance to act, a strained atmosphere was broken by the urgent ringing of the public telephone. Weismuller answers it. "Hello? Agent Weismuller speaking. Oh, no, sir. No, no, nothing yet. Oh gee, that's too bad. Oh. Oh, oh, yes sir. Yes, we'll do our very best, sir. Thank you." He hung up, looking grim.

"What's up?" asked Hawk, a nervous tone to his voice.

"Bad news," replied Weismuller. "That satellite has gone haywire, and the scientists think it's going to fall to Earth somewhere around here. And the President wants us to find it before certain enemy powers get their mitts on it."

Hawk collapsed the telescope and hopped into the car. "If we don't screw up on this one, it could mean promotion," said Hawk. "We could go home, Weismuller. Home."

"Home," said Weismuller. "The wife."

With fresh enthusiasm he started the engine and they puttered away down the road.

**Sorry this chapter is so short.**


	9. Chapter Eight

**This chapter is longer than the last one.**

**Chapter Eight**

Inside the TARDIS the Doctor was watching his screen in horror. The Bus was spiralling towards the blue planet, impact only a few moments away. An emergency siren was whooping inside the TARDIS, drowning out the sigh of the time rotor.

On board the bus Murray's face was dripping with sweat as he twirled a defunct master control. "Keep calm, folks," said Murray. "We're just experiencing a little technical difficulty." Murray's knuckles were white as he manipulated his instruments, straining to take control of his craft. The bus shook more and more violently and he hoped that it had been built to the required specifications. If there was even a slight error in manufacture the whole craft could disintegrate under such stress.

The Doctor ran a few computations through his mind then started pushing buttons in a prescribe sequence. With his foot on one panel, the Doctor reaches to another with his umbrella. When the last switch was thrown, the TARDIS started to shudder and emitted a loud droning hum. A powerful energy beam shot out from the TARDIS and locked onto the tumbling bus. There is a bang, then a ray goes out from the Tardis' blue light to envelope the bus.

After a few moments the wild gyrations gave way to a more controlled yawing, and slowly the bus righted itself.

There existed in New South Wales, Australia a quiet bushland valley with a single narrow track road running through it. The road stopped at a somewhat dismal compound of low, clapboard bungalows. Over the gate in green wrought-iron was the legend 'SHANGRI-LA.' It was one of the least-famous holiday camps in the country, but those who knew it liked it for its unspoilt location and quiet walks, and above all, its quiet restfulness. Its peaceful tranquility was shattered, however, when suddenly, out of a clear blue sky, a tour bus lands with a bump on a rose bed outside the camp gates, rocking on its springs and releasing a shower of pyrotechnics from under its hood.

What was even more astonishing was five seconds later a blue police phone box materialises nearby. The Doctor emerged from the TARDIS and crossed to the damaged cruiser.

Murray staggers off the bus, still shaken. "Oh, thanks, Doctor," said Murray. "We ran into this piece of space junk. What did you do?"

The Doctor cast a critical eye over the bus which had the little satellite still embedded into the radiator grill. "Well," said the Doctor. "I simply applied the Tardis vortex drive to generate an antigravity spiral to halt your descent. Sorry about the bumpy landing. A miscalculation."

Murray sighed with relief. "We could sure use a guy like you at head office," said Murray. He looked around, his eyes lighting on the grey buildings nearby.

All the passengers have disembarked. Mel comes over to the Doctor and Murray and the mod in the shades hangs about nearby. "Hey, this doesn't look like Disneyland," said Murray.

"The satellite seems to have jammed your navigational pod. No, well, according to my reckoning, it seems to be somewhere in, er, New South Wales, Australia.," said the Doctor.

Murray squinted at the holiday camp. "We've got to do something with all these people till we get the bus fixed," said Murray. The Doctor followed his gaze. "Maybe that series of primitive dwellings could be used as some sort of way station," suggested the Doctor.

Mel joined them. "It's a holiday camp," said Mel.

"Excellent," said the Doctor. "Just what we're looking for."

"Oh, but Doctor," said Mel doubtfully. "It looks... I don't know, it looks a bit grim somehow..."

The Doctor looked sternly at Mel. "Oh, don't go by appearances, Mel," said the Doctor. "Often the most interesting people stay at these places. This is the real Fifties."

It doesn't look like the fifties," said Mel. "Look at the clothes they're wearing. It looks more like the eighties."

"Oh," said the Doctor, ducking back into the TARDIS. Coming back out, he looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, everyone. This is not 1959, it's 1987."

Something was happening. A balding man in a florid jacket, with a dog on a lead, was approaching from the camp. He was the camp's commander who gloried in the name of Burton Burton.

He was pleased to see them all. "Oh, hello!" cried Burton. "Expected you hours ago. Trouble with the bus, is it? Oh, it happens all the time. Still, you're not far from the chalets."

Murray was not backward in coming forward. "Erm … Do you mind if we rest at the camp until we get the bus shipshape?" asked Murray brightly.

"Mind, my dear boy?" asked Burton looking puzzled. "That is what we are here for."

By now everyone was off the bus and milling around, thankful to have their feet firmly on solid ground once more. Burton clapped his hands for silence. " Welcome, campers. I am your camp leader while you are here at Shangri La. My name is Burton, and if there's anything you need, just ask." Burton chivied the tourists into a neat, two abreast. Bewildered by the proceedings, they obediently fell into line without complaint. "That's the spirit. Right, follow me!" cried Burton.

And with that he turned and started marching back towards the camp. The passengers looked to Murray for guidance. "Erm, that's right, folks. Follow, er, Burton. He'll look after you until the cruiser's ready to roll. Thank you very much. Thank you."

The passengers, grumbling amongst themselves, set of after Burton. Burton leads the tour group past young women playing with hula hoops to a row of two storey chalets.

Mel and the Doctor, realizing there was nothing else for it, followed after the others. Murray took a last look at the bus then trotted off towards the gates of the camp.


	10. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine**

The camp was built around a gravel square, with the large dining hall at one end, the shower and toilet blocks at the other, and behind the main buildings a children's playground. Burton led everyone into the square where they stood about crunching gravel underfoot until Burton signalled silence.

"Welcome to Shangri La, where your dreams come true. Now, you will all be sharing cabins, two to a cabin, but we all eat together. Mealtimes are clearly displayed behind the cabin door. But just in case there is any confusion breakfast is at eight, lunch is at one, and supper is at six. Eating together is all part of the camp fun so do try and be prompt. Over there is the dining hall with the shower block behind. Any questions? Splendid. I'll show you to your cabins then." Burton was already moving towards the first row of cabins before the Navarinos realized that they were supposed to follow him. Picking up their luggage they ran to catch him up. Mel and Delta were walking at the back of the queue as Burton allocated cabins to various people. Keillor took a last glance at Delta just before he entered his cabin, accompanied by a plump Navarino dressed like a Teddy boy.

Mel and Delta both heard it at the same moment – someone softly whistling 'Why do Fools Fall in Love?' The whistler was Billy, the camp mechanic, tinkering with an old waterpump. He was good-looking with his long mullet and white T-shirt and jeans. Nonchalantly he watched the new arrivals as they were herded into the cabins.

Beneath his apparent indifference his heart was beating fast – Delta was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He noted which cabin she and Mel entered.

Mel and Delta look around their cabin with its narrow single beds, a wash stand, table and chairs and single dresser, and their hearts sank. Burton waved expansively at the rudimentary accommodation. "Right," said Burton. "You will find a list of our rules and regulations behind the door. Any questions? Splendid." Before Mel could reply Burton leaves. Mel smiled at Delta who was fighting back the tears.

"Not that it really makes much difference," said Mel cheerfully, "but which bed would you like?" Delta seemed not to have heard. Mel continued, "Well, I don't really mind. One's about as good as the other." And she plumped her suitcase onto the bed nearest to her. Delta carefully put the silver sphere onto the cover of the other bed and sank down. She covered her face with her hands and started to sob gently. "Look, I know it isn't like the brochure, but don't be too upset," said Mel trying to cheer her up.

Delta sadly raised her head. "How long are we in this place for?" asked Delta.

"Till the bus is fixed," replied Mel.

"And then?" asked Delta.

"Well, then it's off to Disneyland, I suppose," replied Mel.

Delta sighed wearily. "It might give me enough time," said Delta, a note of hope creeping into her voice.

Mel was becoming more uncomfortable by the minute. She decided to try and draw Delta out. "I can see something's bothering you. Do you want to talk about it?"

Delta gave Mel a cool appraising glance, then shook her head. "No."

Delta reached under her tunic and produced a phaser gun which she stripped and checked. Mel gave her a nervous smile and started unpacking her clothes. Delta sat on her bed and loaded another round into the phaser's magazine.


	11. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten**

The group of holiday-makers following Burton had dwindled to Murray and the Doctor. Burton steered them towards the pump where Billy was just finishing. He pointed to the cabin at the very end of the row. "Oh, look," said Burton. "your chalet is number one oh one in row Y. Oh, if you need any help with the bus, I'm sure our young mechanic will be pleased to assist. I'll see you at lunch, ok?" With that Burton marched away at a brisk clip.

Billy straightened up, wiping his hands on a greasy bit of cotton waste. He offered his outspread hand to Murray and then to the Doctor as they all introduced themselves.  
>"Hi, I'm Billy," said Billy.<p>

"Murray," said Murray

"I'm the Doctor," said the Doctor.

"Old man Burton said there was something wrong with your bus, is that right?" asked Billy.

Murray nodded, "Well, we hit this low orbital satellite, which jammed the navi-pod and here we are," replied Murray.

Billy looked suspiciously at Murray, convinced that his leg was being pulled. "Well," said Billy, sucking on his teeth, "if it's got four wheels I can fix it."

"It shouldn't take too long to repair – I have a spare Quarb crystal on the TARDIS," said the Doctor. Billy now looked at the Doctor, he wondered what kind of a joke these two guys were trying to pull. However, they didn't laugh – in fact they set off for the bus, in deadly earnest. Billy shook his head, picked up his toolbag, and followed after them.

When he reached the bus the bonnet was already open and Murray and the Doctor were reaching into the engine bay. Billy took a peek and gave a low whistle – instead of a greasy old deisel engine, there was a high-tech jet burner with twin boosters nesling in the engine space.

"I've never seen an engine like that." said Billy.

Murray grunted. "Yes, it's a Helstrom Fireball," said Murray. "Capable of warp five in a good tail wind."

Billy glanced around and saw a police phone box standing a few metres away. He was now convinced that the whole thing was some kind of elaborate prank, but the other two were working on the bus with fierce concentration.

The Doctor uses his umbrella to prise out the satellite, painted with the stars and stripes.  
>"Ah, this is the cause of the problem," said the Doctor. "An extremely crude low orbital satellite capable only of the most rudimentary of radio transmissions."<p>

Murray took the satellite and tied it onto the bus's roof-rack, then laboriously made a note in his book. "Ah, thanks, Doctor," said Murray. "I've got to fill in an accident report, otherwise head office will withdraw my licence. As it is, it's touch and go."

Billy was still having trouble believing his eyes. "Uh … What exactly is it you want to do?" asked Billy.

The Doctor pointed at a small black box with a glowing crystal sticking out of its centre. "Well, you see that navi-pod?" asked the Doctor. "It needs to be unbolted so we can replace the broken crystal."

"Right," said Billy. He picked up a spanner and dived into the engine bay. The Doctor entered the TARDIS, to appear a moment later carrying a small reinforced case. Billy emerged from the engine bay triumphantly clutching the black navipod.

"Well done," said the Doctor. "Now, inside this box is the only Quarb crystal this side of Softel nebula."

"Thank goodness you came along, Doctor," said Murray confidentially. "Head office says it's my last chance to make good." Murray carefully started unscrewing the lid of the navipod and took out the broken crystal. He gently lifted the new crystal from its shock-proof case and fitted it into the device. The lid screwed back on and it was ready to be refitted.

"Ah, well done," said the Doctor. "Now, carefully does it."

"Here, I'll fit it," said Billy. He and Murray bent into the engine bay and started spannering.

A red scooter with white leg shields pulled up and stopped beside the bus. The rider wore black jeans and a denim jacket. She took off her helmet and shook down her hair. "Hi, Billy," she said.

Billy barely glanced up. "Oh, hi, Anita," said Billy. "This is Murray and the Doctor."

Anita Llewcots was celebrating Schoolies Week with her friends Frances Snevets and Jane Elom. Schoolies Week was to celebrate the end of year 12. Traditionally school-leavers would head to the Gold Coast for a week of partying. But that was not appealing to Anita and her friends. So they travelled to the Shangri-La Holiday Village, near Cessnock, New South Wales instead.

Anita fancied Billy, but didn't know if Billy returned her feelings.

Nita grimaced at being called by her full name. "Please call me Nita. Do you guys want a hand?"

Murray popped a grease-spattered face over the wing of the bus, "You haven't by chance got a one and five eights socket, have you?" asked Murray, laughing. Nita dug in her backpack and produced a gleaming wrench. Murray was astonished and blinked several times before taking it from her and resuming work.

The Doctor had noted the transaction with interest. "Do you always carry around a full set of tools with you?" asked the Doctor.

"Oh, it's what Billy taught me, always to be prepared," said Nita with a shy smile.

"Absolutely. A stitch in time fills up space," said the Doctor. Nita grinned at him then turned back to Billy. It was obvious that she thought the world of him. Billy, however, appeared not to even notice that she was a girl.

Murray was grunting as he applied the final turn of the wrench to the navipod. There was a sudden mechanical CLANG! And he rose out of the engine bay, his face white with shock. "Oh! I've broken it!" exclaimed Murray. "Your crystal. No licence, no job, no future."

"There will always be a future," said the Doctor. "Well, if you think it might help, I could transport everyone in the Tardis."

Murray was looking doleful, "No, thank you, Doctor," said Murray. "The captain never leaves his ship."

The Doctor nodded understandingly. "Hmm. Well, there is another alternative," said the Doctor. "I could accelerate growth in the thermo-booster and create a crystal in about er, twenty four hours."

Murray's face lit up. "That's fantastic," said Murray. "You've saved my life, Doctor. I can't see any problem staying here for twenty four hours."

Nita smiled brightly, "Oh, great. I'll see you all at the dance, then."

Murray was snapping his fingers with excitement. "A dance - With live music?" he blurted.

"Uh huh," said Anita. "Billy here is in a band."

"Sounds too good to miss," said Murray.

"Okay, see ya," said Nita, starting her scooter.

Anita rode away, thinking about the strange man in the question-mark jumper.

The Doctor watched her putter away. _"_A most personable young lady," observed the Doctor. "Practical, too. She seems very fond of you, Billy."

Billy nodded. "She's all right," agreed Billy. "Like my little sister, you know. Now, if you don't need me for anything else, I think I'll go wash up for dinner."

"Oh, sounds like a good idea," said Murray. "All this spannering really works up an appetite."

"I don't know much about spanners but I used to have a sonic screwdriver," said the Doctor, as they all turned and started walking towards the camp.

**So here I have introduced my character Anita. She replaces the original character Ray.**


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Chapter Eleven**

Mel had just about finished unpacking when a loud metallic gonging sounds. Delta sprang from the bed rushes to the window with her ray gun ready to shoot anything that moved.  
>"What's that?" hissed Delta, panicking.<p>

Mel, trying to be calm, smiled bravely. "It's only the dinner gong," replied Mel.

Delta looked at her suspiciously, then cautiously peered through the window. She seemed to sag as the tension left her and pushed the phaser into her tunic pocket. Mel was relieved to see the weapon disappear, but she couldn't help thinking that she may have been better off sharing a cabin with a Navarino. Even though their constant chat tended to irritate her, it was a lot more relaxing than cohabiting with a gun-toting Chimeron.

Mel decided that she would have to be straight with Delta. "I think I'll finish unpacking later. I'll go and get something to eat," she said, testing the water.

Delta narrowed her eyes. "Can you be trusted?" asked Delta.

"Yes, completely," replied Mel, nervously sidling towards the door. "Discretion's my middle name. I'll see you later."

Delta decided that she was all right and sat down once more on the bed. Mel left, trying to look as unconcerned as possible.

Outside the cabins Billy was working on his gleaming black motorbike. Two tourists were watching him in facination. "What is it?" asked one.

Billy looked up. "This here's a Vincent Black Shadow – finest motorcycle in the world."

The other tourist, still not sure of its function, asked, "But what does it do?"

"Oh, about 200 on a good day," said Billy.

The first tourist was still mystified. "Two Hundred WHAT?"

Billy was getting exasperated. "Kilometres per hour, of course!" he said.

The second tourist's face lit up. "I see! It's a form of transport."

Billy had seen some strange tours, but this one was really shaping up to be the weirdest.

Mel rushed past on her way to the dining hall eager to tell the Doctor all about Delta. When she got there the Doctor had already arrived and was sitting alone at a table, picking at his food. Mel sat beside him and promptly took an apple from his plate. A few moments later Delta entered and sat, a solitary figure, cool and aloof at a corner table.

However, her entrance was noted by someone other than Mel and the Doctor. Keillor stared at her from behind his dark glasses, the cogs in his brain slowly turning over.

"Doctor, there's something odd here," said Mel urgently.

"Well, it is home, for the moment," said the Doctor cheerfully. "At least until the navi-pod's fixed. Personally speaking, I rather like it."

"I'm determined to try and enjoy myself if I can," said Mel, trying not to appear ungrateful.

"Excellent," said the Doctor.

Mel smiled sweetly at the Doctor. Suddenly, her expression changed and with eyes like saucers she blurted out, "She's got a gun!"

"Really! A photon blaster?" asked the Doctor, always keen on specifics.

Mel was less fussy. "I didn't check the type! And that's not all - She's very on edge. It's as if she has some terrible secret," she said.

"Have you managed to speak to her at all?" asked the Doctor.

"Of course, but she's totally withdrawn. It makes me nervous." said Mel.

Just then Billy entered the dining hall and picked up a tray. He joined the queue for food, and afterwards crossed to Delta's table and sat down. She glanced up and Billy smiled – there was a brief flicker between them before Delta pushed aside her untouched meal and, quickly rising to her feet, she left. Billy watched her go, then stabbed his fried egg. He was angry with himself, and ran over the last few minutes in his mind. He hoped he hadn't scared her off by appearing too forward. He could tell that he made her nervous. But then again, he'd only smiled at her. Billy would have to wait and see.

Mel and the Doctor also saw her leave. "You know Mel, I think you could be right. Your charming room-mate may well be in danger," said the Doctor.

"From someone here?" asked Mel.

"That's what we've got to find out." he replied, throwing a suspicious glance at Keillor.

Burton attracts everyone's attention by tapping on a glass. When the noisy clamour had died down he made an announcement. "Well, this is to remind you that tonight we are having our Get To Know You 1950"s dance," announced Burton.

"Hooray!" everyone shouted.

"Everyone is most welcome, from eight till late. See you all there!" continued Burton and sat down.

Mel had finished her apple and prepared to leave. "Try to get her to come to the dance. It might relax her, and then maybe she'll speak with us later on," the Doctor said to Mel.

"I'll see what I can do," said Mel, looking none-too-confident about her chances of success.

The tollport was in chaos. Gavrok and his bannermen had ransacked the place. The Tollmaster was quaking in his boots. Gavrok unsheathed a small zap gun from its holster and put it to the Tollmaster's head. "Come on, son," hissed Gavrok. "For the last time - Tell me her destination and I will let you live."

"I can't," the tollmaster mumbled, barely audible. "It's more than my job's worth. It's strictly confidential."

Gavrok cocked his weapon. "I'm getting tired of this," said Gavrok. "Tell me now!"

The Tollmaster nervously licked his lips. "They were going, they were going to Disneyland, planet Earth," said the tollmaster. "When they struck the satellite, they were blown off course. I don't know where."

A cold smile played across Gavrok's face. "Can you not do better than that?" Gavrok demanded.

"Please," said the tollmaster, shaking like a leaf, "Honestly, I don't know anything!"

This answer seemed to convince Gavrok said the tollmaster who suddenly relaxed and patted the Tollmaster on the shoulder. "I can see that you have done your best," Gavrok sighed. "Let him go."

"Thank you," said the tollmaster, gratefully. "Oh, thank you. Thank you, thank you, sir. Thank you, thank you gentlemen. Thank you, thank you, thank you."

The Tollmaster runs away.

Gavrok's henchmen gathered around. Gavrok's face was dark. "We've wasted enough time here," said Gavrok, turning to his ship's Captain. "Plot a course for Earth. I want every informer throughout the galaxy to look for her."

They stamped out of the Tollshed and into their waiting fighter. The captain punched a code into the ship's computer and it lifted off, destined for a small blue planet where a rock band was tuning up.

**In the original story the Tollmaster gets shot, but I wanted to reduce the violence so in my version Gavrok lets him go.**


	13. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter Twelve**

The dining room at Shangri-La had been transformed into a 1950's dance hall for the get-to-know-you dance. At one end was a small raised platform. Running the full length of the makeshift stage was a banner saying 'SHANGRI-LA 1959'. Streamers and brightly coloured balloons hung from the rafters and the place was packed with tourists. Everyone is dancing and enjoying themselves.

Up on stage was Billy's band, the Lorells. Billy had rigged up an old horn to his amplifier and could pump out the greatest amount of wattage of any band between Sydney and Brisbane. The band was tuning up for their first number while Billy checked the connections under the keen eye of the Doctor.

"What do you think of it, Doctor?" asked Billy. "I built it myself from spare parts." The decibels were already rising.

"How appropriate," the Doctor shouted through the cacophony.

"What?" asked Billy, cupping his ear.

"I said, for a primitive piece of technology it certainly delivers the decibels."

"That's what rock and roll's all about." said Billy, jumping up onto the stage and picking up his guitar.

The band launched into their first number, 'Singing the Blues', and almost immediately the floor was filled with writhing, swirling, sweating bodies. The Doctor pushed his way through the throng towards the cool air coming from the open door.

Murray, jiving with a lopsided grin on his face, collared the Doctor before he reached the door. "Hey, this is great," enthused Murray. "The 1950's nights back on Navarro were never like this.  
>Just then Mel and Delta appeared, both dressed to the nines. Murray needed no further encouragement. Murray dances off with Mel. Murray, a look of pure ecstasy on his face, proved himself to be no mean dancer and whirled Mel around at a giddy speed. Delta, suddenly left alone, felt the Doctor's gaze on her. She held his eye for a long moment, then was gone, pushing through the crowd to the front. The Doctor watched her go, a frown on his face. Gradually he became aware of someone standing at his side.<p>

Nita, wearing a rah-rah skirt and scarlet top, had been transformed. She smiled at him. "See, Doctor? It's not as bad as all that, now, is it?"

The Doctor was momentarily at a loss for words, "I … uh … Bad? No. Rather nice, in fact."

"Oh, let's go down to the front. I can't see Billy properly from here." said Nita.

"Er, have you known each other long?" asked the Doctor.

"Oh, since we were children in Brisbane. Billy moved down here last year when he left school. I even learnt all about motorbikes in the hope it'd make him notice me, but it doesn't seem to have made a blind bit of difference."said Nita, looking at her shoes.

The Doctor smiled. "Come on, let's go down to the front." he said, taking her arm and guiding her through the crowd.

The song had ended and everyone was applauding. Billy stepped up to the microphone.  
>"Thanks, mates," said Billy. "And now, a romantic number from across the pond, for a very special lady in the audience. Why do fools fall in love." He winked at someone in the crowd.<p>

Nita, who was standing near the stage, felt her heart slip a beat. Then she noticed that his glance was directed elsewhere – towards Delta, now wearing a green spotted dress, who was looking straight up at Billy. It was clear he was singing to her and her alone.

Nita felt hot tears rising and started pushing her way across the dancefloor towards the door. Someone grabbed her arm and she turned – to see the Doctor, looking awkward. "I was wondering, Anita, if..." began the Doctor.

"Thank you, Doctor, I'd love to." Nita smiled appreciatively and pulled the Doctor onto the dance floor. Even if the Doctor had no intention of asking her to dance, he was far too gracious to admit any other possibility.

Nita was determined to enjoy herself, even if Billy wasn't interested in her. And the Doctor was very sweet, even if he was a bit old.

Meanwhile, at the front of the stage Billy and Delta were drowning in the pools of each other's eyes.

**Aww..the Doctor saves the day for Anita. How sweet.**


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter Thirteen**

Out in the bush, an owl hoots and a waxing half moon hangs in the sky as the two Americans are silhouetted inside their small orange pup-tent which had been erected in the lee of a nearby hill. A fire danced outside, throwing leaping shadows onto the thin canvas. Inside the tent Hawk and Weismuller were trying to get comfortable. "Throw some more wood on the fire, Hawk," said Weismuller.

"Why don't you, Weismuller?" grumped Hawk.

"Because you're nearer to the flap, Hawk. Go on, go on, go on, get out of here." said Weismuller wearily.

"Yeah, well take your feet out of my face first," said Hawk peevishly, unable to argue with the logic of Weismuller's request.

The tent lurched forward as Hawk struggled to get through the flap. Hawk crawls out of the tent, grumbling to himself. He emerged into the night air, shivered once, and threw another log onto the fire. "I'll get you, Weismuller. I'll get you." he muttered, and crawled back inside.

Not too far away, the dance at Shangri-La was in full swing. The Doctor collects his jacket and umbrella from a chair. Murray and the Doctor emerged from the hall, puffing from their exertions. The music pounded away in the background.

"Great dance," said the Doctor.

"Oh, it's hot in there," said Murray fanning himself. The Doctor nodded. "Ah, you Navarinos have a notoriously high metabolic rate." he said.

"Yeah. That hula hoop competition nearly finished me off," panted Murray, gulping in the cool air.

Just then the door of the hall flew open and Delta pushes between them and walks out to disappear into the darkness. The Doctor started after her. "Excuse me, Murray," said the Doctor. "Hey, you'll miss the last dance, Doctor!" cried Murray, but it was too late – the Doctor had already gone. Murray struggled and returned to the hall as the band launched into 'That'll be the day'.

The Doctor was walking along the wooden 'pavement' outside the cabins, trying to pierce the gloom. Listening intently, he finally heard something and stopped outside a block marked 'LINEN STORE'. He listened again, picking up a regular gentle sobbing.

The Doctor eased open the door and went inside. There, sitting on a pile of freshly-laundered sheets was Nita, dabbing her eyes. The Doctor coughed, a little embarrassed to be intruding on her privacy.

Seeing the Doctor, Nita took a deep breath and put on a brave smile. "Oh, hi. I was just, er...Oh, Doctor, am I being a fool? Billy didn't even offer to take me home. He's never done that before. I feel so miserable Doctor."

The Doctor nodded his head sagely and said "There, there. There's many a slap twixt a cup and a lap, Anita."

She gave a wry smile. "But somehow I always thought Billy and me would end up together. Oh, it shows how wrong you can be. Oh, listen to me. What are you doing here, Doctor?"

"I was hoping to find ..." he said, but cut himself off by raising a hand in warning.

The door opens with a creak and someone stealthily crept through. Nita whispered urgently "We're not supposed to be in here!" and led the Doctor behind racks of pink bed sheets, blankets and pillow cases. From their hiding place Nita and the Doctor heard the door being locked.

Standing stock still and holding their breath they could hear someone making soft mechanical clicking noises on the other side of the shelves. The Doctor cocked his head to catch the sound more clearly. He managed to stand on a large wicker basket and peep through a gap in the top shelf.

The thin faced Keillor was holding a small transmitter in his hand. He extends the aerial and pushed the autosearch function before bringing it to his mouth. "Connect me with the Bannerman leader," he said.

There was a burst of static hiss, then a voice came through the ether. "Commander Gavrok here. Go ahead." Gavrok's voice made Nita's blood run cold. She had no idea what was going on, but she began to wish she had gone straight home.

Keillor grinned evilly. "I understand you're offering a reward for the Chimeron queen."

"Affirmative. One million units. Do you have information?" barked Gavrok.

"I've found her. Repeat, I've found her." said Keillor.

"What is your status?" came the disembodied voice.

"I'm a soldier of fortune. Now, do you want to trade or not?" said Keillor, confident that he had Gavrok hooked.

"Affirmative." came the reply.

"She's at a place called Shangri La, in New South Wales, Australia, Earth. Now lock into this signal to guide you in." said Keillor.

"The reward will be yours when we arrive. End transmission." said Gavrok.

The Doctor was aghast as he saw Keillor activate the flashing beacon signal on the transmitter – it wouldn't take Gavrok long to reach Shangri-La.

The Doctor had heard many stories of Gavrok and his violent ways. It was no wonder that Delta was acting so strangely, with someone like Gavrok after her. The Doctor suddenly realized that the shelf he was peering over was an inch thick in dust. He felt his nostrils fill with the fine powder, and despite his awesome self-control, The Doctor sneezes. Keillor stiffened and pulls out a gun, staring hard in the Doctor's direction. Cautiously, he edged his way around the shelves towards Nita and the Doctor.

In their cabin barely 50 metres away, Delta sat at the dressing table brushing he hair. Mel sat on her bed, the silver orb beside her. Delta caught Mel's reflection in the mirror. "Thank you," said Delta

"What for? Asked Mel.

"For lending me your dress. For making an effort to be kind."

"Oh, I'd help anyone in trouble, if I could." said Mel.

Delta felt desperately lonely. If only she could be sure of Mel. She decided to take another chance and, taking a deep breath, said, "Mel, there's something you should know."

Keillor had the Doctor and Nita backed up against the stack of linen, his gun held level with their heads. In his hand Keillor still held the flashing transmitter. "What an unexpected bonus," sneered Keillor. "You're the traveller in time they call the Doctor. Your capture will make me richer still." Keillor licked his lips like a hungry wolf.

"If you kidnap for money, let the girl go," said the Doctor. "She's worth nothing to you." The colour had drained from Nita's face as she stared down the muzzle of a weapon which could knock her unconscious in a millisecond. Keillor listened to what the Doctor said, then drew his lips back in an ugly leer.

"I don't just kidnap for money. It's also something I enjoy." he hissed, cocking his weapon. Nita stifled a scream as the Doctor stepped in front of her.

Mel was transfixed by the orb beside her. She wondered what it could be. Her curiosity was soon rewarded as the orb began to wobble and a maze of fine cracks spread across its surface.

Outside, Billy slicked back his hair and tried to revive the drooping bunch of flowers in his hand. His heart was beating hard as he prepared to knock on the door. The camp's public address system crackled into life with the traditional song, 'Goodnight Campers'. Billy grinned and raised his knuckles. As he did so Mel screams as a green face emerges. Billy bursts in with the bouquet he has brought for Delta.

He flew into the room and was brought up short by what he saw. Mel was against the wall, her hand covering her mouth in shock. Billy followed the line of her appalled gaze and his own mouth fell open. There on the bed beside the silver orb, now cracked open like an eggshell, was the ugliest creature he had ever seen. Small, wrinkled, bright green and covered in slime, the baby Chimeron opened its mouth and bawled.

Delta, her face lit by a radiant smile, advanced with open arms towards the ugly hatchling. "My baby. My beautiful baby," cooed Delta.

Billy sank down onto the bed, his mouth trying to say something which his brain couldn't quite formulate.


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**Chapter Fourteen**

Hurtling across the void was the Bannermen fighter. Gavrok's shoulders heaved as he uttered a laugh which sounded like a drain unblocking. "My bounty hunter will be paid off sooner than he thinks," said Gavrok. "Arm the beacon hunter."

For all his experience Keillor had made a fatal slip. He should have known better than to trust a Bannerman, especially Gavrok their leader, who was the epitome of all evil. Gavrok cared nothing for fair play or justice. Even men like Keillor who were despised throughout the solar systems had their own special brand of conduct. Keillor was about to pay the ultimate price for his error.

The pilot opened the cover of the red attack module and pressed the 'FIRE' button. This ship rocked under the sudden surge of energy as a colossal stream of ions flashed along the radio path being emitted by Keillor's transmitter.

In the Laundry store, Keillor smiled, raised his weapon and took aim. Nita clung speechlessly to the Doctor, paralysed by the prospect of abduction.

As Keillor's fingers curled around the trigger the pulsing beacon in his other hand suddenly flashed. The linen store was bathed in a cold blue aura.

The blue was very intense at the spot where Keillor stood. He disappears. Anita screams. The blue light faded. The smoke slowly cleared, revealing the Doctor and Anita unconscious on the floor.

In Mel and Delta's chalet, Mel and Billy sat mutely on the bed waiting for an explanation, while Delta cuddled the green infant in her arms. The Chimeron Queen sat like this for some time, studying the child, her features softened in an expression of tenderness. She knew that the baby she held in her arms was the only hope of survival for her race. The burden of responsibility weighed heavily on her shoulders, but she was determined to fight to the bitter end. Eventually, she made a decision and raised her eyes.

"Please Billy, you must promise me that you won't tell anyone what you have seen here tonight. My life's at risk," said Delta. Billy nodded. "I'm going to trust you, and I think you deserve a full explanation. I think you'd better close the door. What I am about to tell you is for your ears only," she continued, glad to have found some support at last.

.


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**Chapter Fifteen**

Dawn breaks and the cock crows in the distance.

In Burton's office his wrinkled assistant, Vinny, sipped a glass of hot water and honey. He cleared his throat several times and did his voice exercises, which consisted of saying 'Mi! Mi! Mi!' very fast. As the hands on the large wall clock crawled round to seven o'clock, Vinny turned on the camp's Public Address system.

In Mel and Delta's chalet Billy was sitting boggle-eyed as she finished her incredible tale.  
>"And so, I'm the last Chimeron queen," said Delta. "My planet is right now in the grip of the invaders. My people are dead. Looking sadly at Billy she held up the sleeping child. "She's our last hope. Her life must be protected at all costs."<p>

Throughout the long night a warmth had developed between Billy and Delta, the young man beginning to feel a strong protective instinct rise within him. If anyone were to try and harm Delta they would have to deal with him first.

Mel lay on her bed, asleep. Unlike Billy, she was used to tales of intergalactic conquest and war. The peace was suddenly shattered by the sound of Vinny singing, 'When the red, red, robin comes bob-bob-bobbin' along', through the camp's PA system

Mel stirred but didn't wake. Delta smiled at her, saying, "Poor Mel's exhausted. We'll let her get some sleep. Billy, I feel like a walk. It may help me to think."

Billy leapt to his feet and stretched. Back on familiar territory he felt more confident. "Sure," said Billy. "The hills around here are beautiful. We can go somewhere really special."

"But I can't walk too far with the baby," said Delta.

"I never said anything about walking," said Billy with a grin.

Delta threw a shawl around the baby and she and Billy tiptoed out of the cabin. The baby frets in a rather high pitch as they leave Mel to her rest. As the door closed Mel opened an eye, smiled, and snuggled down to catch up on her lost sleep.

Billy led Delta behind the old boat shed where a tarpaulin covered a huge bulky object. He whipped off the cover to real his gleaming vintage motorbike and sidecar.

"It's a monster!" cried Delta.

Billy puffed up with pride. "She's a Vincent," replied Billy. "My pride and joy."

He offered his arm to Delta and helped her into the sidecar, placing the baby safely in her lap. Billy pulled on a helmet and swung the kickstart.

With a window-shaking roar the mighty Vincent burst into life. Billy turned towards the gate and thundered out onto the open road.

In the Laundry store the Doctor and Nita were still unconscious. They looked very peaceful as the dawn light tinted the sheets a gentle shade of red. As the Vincent hurtled past, it drowned out Vinny's song. The noise of the beast starting up wakes the Doctor and he got groggily to his feet. Shaking his head he slowly felt for broken bones. His eyes lit on Nita and registered a look of concern. Pulling a large white hanky from his pocket he gently fanned her face while patting her hand. "Nita, Nita," he called softly so as not to frighten her. She slowly came around, groaning, "Oh, my head." The Doctor helped her to her feet. "Do you feel all right?" asked the Doctor anxiously. "Nothing hurt or broken?"

Nita nodded. "Uh-huh … but … but what happened to that guy with the gun?"

The Doctor picked up the mangled remains of the transmitter. "I'm afraid he was paid in kind. You see this signal beacon? It exploded from the inside. Obviously the Bannermen locked into his signal and fired off a high impulse beam right along his transmission track."

Nita was nodding, still aghast. "So they, abducted him?"

"I'm afraid so." said the Doctor. "A poignant reminder that violence always rebounds on itself. It's ironic really. The Bannermen potentially saved our lives, hardly the sort of action they're well noted for. It makes me somewhat apprehensive, in fact. Come on. We haven't a moment to lose."

"Where are we going?" asked Nita, still stunned from their experience.

"We must warn the others that an attack is imminent. We have very little time to lose."

Nita still hadn't fully understood what was happening but she knew enough to trust the Doctor. She followed the Doctor out of the storeroom and into the cool morning air.

They ran across the gravel square to Delta's cabin. The Doctor raised his fist to knock but saw the door hanging askew on its hinges. Fearing the worst he rushed inside. Mel was curled up under her blankets, sleep having descended at last. The sudden inrush of cool air and running feet caused her to sit up with a start.

"Mel, Mel, are you all right?" asked the Doctor.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing a good night's sleep wouldn't cure," Mel replied.

"Well, I'm afraid that'll have to wait. Do you know where Delta and Billy have gone?" asked the Doctor.

"They didn't tell me." said Mel. "Billy was taking her to some beauty spot, I think."

The Doctor throught for a moment. "Well, we've got to find them as quick as we can. And organise an evacuation of the camp. The Bannermen are on their way."

Mel sprang out of bed. "I'll get Murray to organise the tour party."

"Good. But they'll be one short."said the Doctor.

"He was abducted," said Anita, as matter-of-factly as she could.

The Doctor was already moving towards the door. "Yes. But I must try and find Delta and Billy. Do you know where they might be, Anita?" asked the Doctor.

She shrugged. "Well, there are a couple of beauty spots in the area we could try." A wistful look descended on her face like a cloud. Glancing at the Doctor she continued. "And also a few special places only known to Billy and me."

"Well, we're going to have to keep looking for them until we find them. But first we must convince Burton to evacuate the camp. Mel, you find Murray. Anita, come with me." said the Doctor, already disappearing through the door.


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**Chapter Sixteen**

The lonely cottage stood beside the reservoir. The water lay like a sheet of clear glass glistening in the early morning sun. Every now and then a fish would leave the murky depths and break surface in search of breakfast. Behind the cottage, thick pine woods covered the flanks of the hill. They stretched as far as the eye could see. At the side of the house were half a dozen bee hives.

A grey-haired old bee keeper, Goronwy, had a veil over his head as he is smoking his hives whilst singing that wartime favourite - You are my honey, honeysuckle.

He had been a fervent member of the local male voice choir all his life and he enjoyed no two things more than singing and tending to his bees. A noise broke his reverie and made him look up. Trundling towards him along the track was the Morris Minor. Goronwy raised his veil. The two Americans drive up and stop outside the wall to talk to the old man.

"Good morning," said Goronwy affably. "What a beautiful morning it is."

"Sure is," agreed Weismuller. "we're kinda new to the area and we were wondering, have you er, have you seen anything weird fall out of the sky recently? Over the last day or so that is."

Goronwy scratched his chin. "Oh dear me, no," said Goronwy. "I've seen many things fall out of the sky, of course, but nothing which could be described as weird."

"What about lights?" asked Hawk. "Anything like that?"

Goronwy nodded. "Oh, there are strange lights in the night sky all the time," said Goronwy. "Not just the Aurora Australis, mind, but low pulsing lights on occasions and low shooting stars."

"Uh huh," said Weismuller. "Er, anything in the last day or so?"

A butterfly landed on Goronwy's hand. "I shall ask my bees," said Goronwy. "They know everything that happens."

Hawk gave Weismuller a sideways look and cleared his throat. He plainly thought Goronwy was crazy. "Sure," said Hawk. "Well, I reckon we've taken up enough of your time."

Goronwy, sensing their scepticism, continued unabashed. "If you stayed a bit longer, young man, you might understand," said Goronwy."Take a look at this butterfly," said Goronwy. "Arguably one of the most beautiful creatures in the whole of nature. Yet if you were to see a pupae, you'd think it was the ugliest sight you've ever seen. But you can't have one without the other."

Weismuller nodded sagely. "Well, thanks anyway. We'll bear that in mind. Maybe we can get together again some other time. But right now we really must be going." He started the engine and the car headed away down the track. Goronwy glanced down at his hand – the butterfly opened its wings and flitted away into the blue sky. Goronwy watched it go, then turned back to his hives, his lips pursed as he started whistling 'Blue Moon'.

**So is old Goronwy mad or does he know something. Asking his bees? Hmm..**


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**Chapter Seventeen**

A beautiful rocky peninsula with waves crashing onto crescent-shaped beaches of fine white sand. The Vincent slowly weaved across an open meadow and came to a halt at the head of a track.

The path slowly meandered down to the beach far below. Billy hopped off the bike and Delta hands the baby to Billy while she gets out of the sidecar.

"Oh, you're a bit of a heavyweight, aren't you?" asked Billy of the strange green creature in his arms. It gurgled and emitted a shrill whistle of glee. Billy quickly handed it back to Delta.

"The most rapid growth occurs in the lymphoid state. She'll double her size and her weight in the next few hours." said Delta looking around, drinking in the peace and tranquillity of the place. "You know you're right, Billy. It is beautiful here. I feel safe at last," she said, smiling at him.

He blushed and took her hand. "Can you feel how fresh the sea air is?" asked Billy taking a deep breath. "It's not very far to the beach. Do you think you will be all right to walk with the baby?" he continued. Delta nodded and Billy led her down the winding path towards the ocean. "Come on."

Back at the Shangri-la Office, Burton is still in a garish silk dressing gown over a pair of brightly striped pyjamas. He sat in complete silence gawping at the Doctor and his hurried explanation. Nita sat quietly beside him while the Doctor paced in agitation. At last Burton cleared his throat. "Now, let me try and get this right. Now, are you telling me that you are not the Happy Hearts Holiday Club from Brisbane, but instead are spacemen in fear of an attack from some other spacemen, and because of the danger, you want me to evacuate the entire camp?" asked Burton, raising an eyebrow in query.

"An excellent summary, Mister Burton. Now, if you start right away, then we'll be able to get them to safety." said the Doctor.

Burton smiled and waved his hand airily. "Oh well, if that is all that is needed, it should be easy. Oh, by the way, can we have space buns and tea afterwards? Or don't they drink tea on Mars?" asked Burton with a large dose of sarcasm.

"I thought you might be a little skeptical. What can I do to convince you?" asked the Doctor, getting more agitated by the moment.

"Oh, this is a waste of time, Doctor." said Burton.

The Doctor spun around and thumped the desk. "Listen, Mister Burton. If you don't act right away, innocent people will die!" exclaimed the Doctor. "I will do whatever I can to convince you I'm not suffering from some sort of delusion."

Burton realized that the Doctor was serious. He decided to humour him. "All right, Doctor. How about showing us your spaceship, eh?" asked Burton chuckling and winking conspiratorially at Nita. Burton always liked to feel in control of things and in his experience the best way to deal with people such as the Doctor was to play them at their own game. Psychology was currently a hobby of Burton's and running a holiday camp gave him the opportunity to study all sorts of people.

"Oh, can I come too, Doctor?" asked Anita. She'd always wanted to see a spaceship.

"Of course, but let's go quickly." snapped the Doctor, already halfway through the door. Burton and Nita trailed along behind him.


	19. Chapter Eighteen

**Chapter Eighteen **

Murray's cabin was identical to Delta's. As a matter of fact it was identical to every other cabin in Shangri-La. Except that it contained Murray – flat on his back, snoring like a buzz-saw.

He was sleeping so heavily that the didn't hear the frantic hammering on the door. Finally Mel shoved it open. "Murray! Murray, wake up!" she cried.

Nothing. Murray was sleeping the exhausted sleep of the hula-hoop-competition-special-award-for-effort-winner.

In desperation Mel grabbed the nearest thing – Murray's big toe sticking out from under the cover – and gave it a huge yank.

"What's the matter?" grunted Murray.

"There's an emergency, Murray. We have to get ready to leave as soon as the bus is fixed."

Murray threw aside his bedclothes and lowered his bare feet onto the lino.

"What kind of emergency?" he mumbled, still half asleep. There was nothing he hated more than being woken up.

"The Bannerman warfleet's on its way." said Mel.

"Oh noooo," wailed Murray, instantly awake, his knees knocking like castanets. There _was _something he hated more than being woken up – the thought of his imminent painful demise at the hands of the Bannermen.

"You stay there. I'll get changed."

"Okay."

Outside Shangri La Burton, Ray and the Doctor come out of the Tardis after their guided tour.

Burton was grinning in simple stupefaction. Nita, already having seen some evidence of extra-terrestrial life, was no less impressed.  
>"It's called a Tardis, an acronym for Time And Relative Dimension In Space," said the Doctor.<br>"It's hard to keep track of progress these days, muttered Burton. "How was it all done? I think I might write an article for _Campers Weekly. _They're always on the lookout for interesting news items. I'd like to get one of these for next year. It could prove to be quite a draw. Head Office likes their senior staff to show initiative. Couldn't we take it for a bit of a spin, Doctor?"  
>"Yes, with pleasure, but first things first," said the Doctor interrupting Burton, "We must clear the camp."<br>"Right."

In the dining hall Murray was standing on a table addressing all the assembled tourists. They were moaning and griping about having their sleep interrupted and paid very little attention to Murray's entreaties for silence.

Murray was getting very agitated with them and tried desperately to get their attention. He shouted above the clamour. "Everybody out, campers! Attention! Everybody out! Listen, everybody out! Now look, we should quickly pack and then wait at the bus until we're ready to leave."  
>"Well, what's the big rush, Murray?" asked one of the tourists. "You told us we would be here for a couple of days yet. And besides, It's nice here."<br>Murray exchanged a look with Mel. He had no option but to tell them the hard facts. "Truth is, there's a Bannerman war fleet on its way here." Murray barely had a chance to finish before everyone was fleeing towards the doors. "Nice and easy, folks. Don't panic! Nice and easy, nice and easy, don't panic." cried Murray, but most people had already left.  
>Just then the Doctor appeared with Nita and Burton. Murray hopped off the table and headed in their direction. "They were difficult at first, Doctor," he said. "But once I told them the real reason they didn't need much persuading."<br>"I see you've got everything under control, Murray. We must go and see the crystal. If it's ready, then you must leave."  
>"You won't see me for dust, Doctor."<p>

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

The gong reverberated across the PA system. Inside his office Burton had changed into a smart suit and was hitting the small dinner gong in front of the microphone. When he was certain that he had everyone's attention he put the gong aside. "Good morning, everyone. This is a matter of some urgency – could all staff assemble in my office immediately. I repeat, ALL employees, without exception, to my office. Right away please."

Nita, Mel and Murray had gathered at the bus. They could hear Burton's voice faintly in the distance. The Doctor emerged from the TARDIS carrying a luminous glass vessel.

Inside, a large cystal hung suspended in red liquid. "It's almost re-grown. Just another half hour. And then you've got to leave, whether I come back or not," said the Doctor, carefully handing Murray the glass jar.  
>"Back from where?" asked Murray.<br>"I've got to find Delta." the Doctor replied. "Mel, you stay here and organise things. Come on, let's go, Nita."  
>Nita puts on her crash helmet as the Doctor gets onto the passenger seat of her scooter.<br>"Take care of the crystal!"

Nita started her bike and they raced off.  
>"Count on me, Doctor." Murray called to the Doctor as he disappeared in a cloud of dust.<p>

In Burton's office the scene was sober. The staff were all standing in silence. They had never seen Burton looking so grave before. Vinny shifted from foot to foot in agitation.

Beads of perspiration stood out on Burton's forehead. Mopping at them with a hanky he took a deep breath. "I've call you all here at such short notice because we are facing a crisis. Now, what I would like you all to do is to go back to your chalets and pack whatever you need for one night. I have already ordered a bus to take us all away from here. You will spend the night in Cessnock and return in a day or so. Any questions? Splendid." Burton's tone of voice implied that he hoped there were no questions forthcoming.

Whispering excitedly to one another, Burton's staff left the room. Everyone except Vinny that is. "I don't normally like running away, sir. What's up?" he said, trying to look like Burton's batman once again. He and Burton had served together in the army twenty years ago and they had remained best mates ever since.  
>"Ah, well, it's because we're facing an attack. It's because we are er, well, we are in danger, you know. Well, it's top secret. I've got a man here now from the Ministry of Defence, so look sharp, will you?" barked Burton.<br>"Are you staying, sir?" asked Vinny. "Well, of course. They would have to drag me away from here, man." said Burton.  
>"Then I'll stay too, Major."<br>"Thank you, Vinny, but you will all have to go, and that is an order." said Burton, looking as stern as possible. "Look sharp now. Off you go."

Vinny saluted and left. Burton sank down into his chair. He reached into the bottom drawer of his desk. There, under a pile of papers, was a bar of wholenut chocolate. There was only one thing for Burton to do – he ate it. It was a little habit Burton had picked up years ago. Whenever a crisis loomed or he felt under considerable stress he would experience an urgent craving for chocolate. It was not an urge he could easily ignore. Therefore in case of emergency he would always keep a bar in his desk drawer. When he had finished eating he felt his world restored to calm; he was once again ready for anything – except possibly an attack by murderous spacemen.

By the river, the lovebirds have spread a blanket on the ground for the baby and have a transistor radio with them. The girl is growing fast, by now about the size of a three-year-old. Crawling everywhere, it was making strange high-pitched musical chime noises which were half insect. He watched it with undisguised fascination.  
>"That noise she makes. It's almost like singing." said Billy.<br>"It's partly a song, and partly a defence mechanism." said Delta.  
>"Against the Bannermen." asked Billy.<p>

Delta made no reply. She gazed out across the water. "It seems a long time since I felt so calm. I feel very happy here with you. I even forgot my worries for a while."

"That's what I like about this place," said Billy. "It makes you want to soar high above the horizon."

A few miles away the Doctor was clinging limpet-like to the back of Nita's scooter as she threaded a path through the bracken. Nita hooted wildly at loosely scattered clusters of sheep, to warn them not to stray into her path. Eventually they arrived in a leafy dell. "It's called Fern Dell. But I don't see his bike anywhere," said Nita.

The Doctor peered through the tangled foliage. "Could it be hidden?" he asked.  
>"Oh no, not the Vincent." said Nita. "It's just too big."<br>"Well, they're not here. Come on." said the Doctor brusquely. Nita managed to turn the scooter around in the clearing and they were soon off across the open grassland, divots of earth flying in all directions.


	20. Chapter Nineteen

**Chapter Nineteen**

Murray was standing beside the bus holding the glowing crystal regeneration cylinder in his hand. Furrowing his brow, he attempted to beam mental energy into the jar, thereby accelerating the growth of the silvery Quarb crystal. He wasn't having much success. Brain power wasn't his strong suit.

Mel trotted up from the camp, somewhat out of breath. "Fortunately they didn't have much packing to do." she said to Murray.

"No," he replied, "It's well known that Navarinos travel light. I suppose it's because in our natural habitat we don't have much call for clothing."

"How's the crystal coming?"  
>"I'm trying to use mind power to make it grow faster," said Murray, scowling into the jar. Mel decided to make herself useful. Scowling like Murray she concentrated all her energies on the crystal.<p>

An old bus chugged up the road and stopped with a clatter before the camp. Moments later Burton marched through the gates, leading a column of staff and campers behind him. He gestured for them to get onto the bus while he strode over to Mel and Murray.  
>"I'm doing this with grave misgivings, but I cannot risk my staff for it." he said.<br>"Just like a captain, Mister Burton." said Murray with some sympathy. Burton nodded. "Major, actually. I am still not sure what I saw in that police box," he said pointing at the TARDIS, "but I cannot risk my staff for it."  
>"You're doing the right thing." said Mel.<br>Burton crossed to the bus as the last of his staff disappeared on board. Only Vinny remained, a lonely figure on the tarmac.

"Remember, Vinny, you're in charge now. You're responsible for the staff in my absence," said Burton encouragingly.

"Yes sir!" said Vinny saluting Burton and runs onto the bus as it pulls away. Burton smiled one of his superior smiles. He was extraordinarily fond of Vinny and always knew how to get the best out of him. Vinny would sometimes behave very stubbornly if he thought that he might be missing out on the action. But on these occasions all Burton had to do was to appeal to his strong sense of duty and Vinny would immediately tow the line. Burton shut the door firmly, and waved the driver on his way. He didn't know when, or if, he'd ever see them again.

High above them, aboard Gavrok's spaceship, the flight deck was a hive of activity. Gavrok swaggered about, barking his orders and watching with satisfaction as his men scurried to obey.

A glowing grid map of New South Wales is on the viewscreen. A light is flashing inland of the Central coast. "She's somewhere in that quadrant. It's a pity we had to destroy the beacon. We'll have to scan the whole area until we find some trace of advanced technology emissions," growled Gavrok, staring at the light patterns dancing before his face.

In the New South Welsh countryside, at the edge of a wooded copse, smoke kept drifting into Weismuller's eyes as he attempted cooking sausages over a dying fire. Finally, when the sausages had turned black, Weismuller withdrew them from the embers, blew on one repeatedly and took a large bite.

He quickly spat out the mouthful of charred meat, and held up the remains of the sausage – inside the burnt exterior the meat was raw. The small brown pup tent was pitched in the background, next to the Morris which was intended to act as a kind of windbreak. In a fit of temper he took the sausage from the end of the stick and flung it as hard as he could, narrowly missing Hawk who sat nearby with the radio in his lap and the earphones on his head. He twiddled the dial one way and then the other, his face growing more sour with each revolution.

"You're wasting your time, Hawk," said Weismuller crossly.  
>"Well, it's better that stopping every stranger we find and asking them if they've seen our lost satellite," snapped Hawk. "All that gets us is a reputation for being crazy."<br>"But there's no point in listening to that radio. It stopped transmitting. That's why you and I have to look for that satellite," said Weismuller.  
>"Then I'll listen to Voice of America. Anything's better than your yammering!" said Hawk, turning the volume to maximum and yanking out the earphones.<br>The radio blared forth masking the sound of Nita's scooter, as she and The Doctor belted around the corner and pulled up with a screech by the gate to the field they are in.  
>"Excuse me!" said the Doctor. "Have you seen a couple go by? A fellow on a big black bike and a lady with a green polka dot dress?"<br>Hawk and Weismuller shared a look. Mister, we ain't seen no sign of life this morning. Ain't that right Hawk?" said Weismuller.

"Nope, haven't even seen a squirrel," Hawk chuckled. "I don't suppose you've seen a …"

Hawk got no further as Weismuller jabbed him in the ribs. "Forget it Hawk."  
>"Are there any other places, Nita?" asked the Doctor.<br>"Well, there is just one last chance," said Nita. "Well, let's give it a try!" yelled the Doctor as she accelerated away.

Hawk looked at Weismuller, "I thought you said we had to look for it," he said.

"That's right I did, but that sure doesn't include asking every Tom, Dick or Harry. Don't forget, Weismuller, this is a top secret mission. We have to show a little caution – we're just supposed to be a couple of regular guys out on a camping trip." Weismuller nodded as threaded another sausage onto the stick.

Outside Shangri La the Navarinos are all gathered at the back of the Nostalgia Trips bus. Their bags had all been stashed in the hold and they waited only for the navipod to resume normal working. They were very impatient to be away and kept scanning the empty skies for any sign of a Bannerman spaceship. One dumpy little Navarino promised that if she were to arrive home safely she would never leave Navarino again.

Murray and Mel were peering into the jar. "Well, I don't know much about crystalline structures," said Mel, "but that looks about cooked."  
>"Yes, looks ready to me, Mel. Shall we chance it?" asked Murray.<p>

Mel nodded in agreement. "Well, here goes. Carefully does it ..." Murray eased his fingers into the bubbling red fluid and slowly withdrew the shimmering crystal cluster. He eased it out of the liquid and held it aloft, a smile of satisfaction on his face. However, the wet surface was extremely slippery and Murray's happy smile dissolved into a look of horror as he felt the sleek crystal suddenly slip from his grasp.

Mel dived at it, catching it in her cupped hands moments before it hit the ground. "Whew!" cried Murray.

"You can say that again, butterfingers! Now, will everyone please give us some air so that we can put it into the navipod," said Mel.

The space tourists stood back allowing Murray room to bolt the crystal into place. Murray worked slowly and carefully. He was determined not to take any more chances with their only means of escape.


	21. Chapter Twenty

**Chapter Twenty**

Two young rabbits playfully hopped around a quiet meadow. Suddenly they stopped and their ears pricked up, then quick as a flash they disappeared into a burrow. Their play had been disturbed by the puttering sound of Nita's scooter as she and the Doctor approached. Nita stopped her bike at a barred gate and looked around helplessly. The Doctor leapt off the bike and, bending down, he ran his fingers along a faint groove in the mud. "Oh, this is the end of the road, Doctor," said Nita. "I don't know where else to try."  
>"Ah, these tyre marks show a heavy motorcycle and sidecar passed this way. Come on Nita! We mustn't give up now! Their lives depend on us," cried the Doctor as he eased open the heavy gate for her, and shuts it after.<p>

The Doctor clambered back onto the bike and they set off across the open meadow along the clifftops, avoiding numerous small boulders scattered in their path. Nita shouted against the wind, "I hope you're all right Doctor. I'm sorry if this is a bit like an army assault course."

"My dear child, this is as smooth as glass. I once had a similar ride on the planet Themlon. I was TARDIS-bound for a week afterwards," he replied. Suddenly the land dipped, and there in the hollow was the Vincent!

"They're probably down on the beach!" cried Nita as she put the scooter onto its stand.

Delta had just opened her knapsack and produced a wafer of waxy cells which she fed to her hungry baby. "She's growing so fast now that she needs to be replenished every half an hour or so. If I can get the hatchling safely to the Brood planet, then I can take my case to judgement. They will then send an expeditionary force to get rid of Gavrok and his Bannermen."  
>"Well, I'll do whatever I can to help, Delta," said Billy. Although he genuinely meant what he said, Billy couldn't quite imagine how he was supposed to get Delta and the hatchling safely to the brood planet. He didn't think that his Vincent was going to prove very useful. Delta glanced up to see two distant figures scrabbling down the cliff-face towards them.<br>"That's Nita and the Doctor. They're sure in a hurry," said Billy.  
>"Oh, thank heavens!" gasped Nita as they finally came within shouting distance of each other. She pushed down the jealousy she felt at seeing Billy and Delta together.<br>"Why is everyone in such a lather?" demanded Billy peevishly. He felt that he was just beginning to get to know Delta at last and he was annoyed that their peace had been disturbed so soon.  
>"Found you at last," panted the Doctor. Delta gazed steadily at the Doctor, knowing the worst.<br>"Gavrok?"  
>"Yes. We overheard a space mercenary give the position of the camp," said the Doctor.<p>

"A space mercenary?" Delta asked looking shocked.

"Yes. There's a price on your head," he continued.  
>Billy indignantly drew himself up. "Yeah? Well, where is this guy? I reckon we've got a score to settle," he said.<br>"He's been ionised!" said Nita smugly. Billy suddenly became aware of her presence.

"Uh … hi Nita," he mumbled, being unsure of what to say next. Something about the way she looked at him made him feel guilty.

"We have to get back at once," said the Doctor. "Burton has already evacuated all the other staff. Murray's fixing the bus. He shouldn't be long. Then you can leave. So we've got to go back now!" he insisted, already heading back up the narrow path. He was closely followed by the others.

Outside Shangri La Murray had finally managed to install the navipod, and, after checking that it was again functioning correctly, slammed the hood with a grin. He gave a thumbs-up to Mel who let out a sigh of relief.

"You see, I'm not totally useless!" Murray felt he had redeemed himself for nearly breaking the crystal. "Now everyone, get ready to board," he said authoritatively. The passengers assembled in a neat line while Murray produced a clipboard and pen. "When I call your name I want you to climb aboard – Adlon – Crovassi – Diptek – Ethnon – Frag – Gil – Herret – Keillor – uh, where's Keillor?" asked Murray. Mel leant forward and whispered into Murray's ear, explaining what happened to the space mercenary. Murray nodded. He did not wish to know the details and quickly continued with the roll-call.

On Gavrok's spaceship on the outer fringes of the galaxy Gavrok stared gleefully at the blipping light on his screen. "Transmitter identified. Triangulate and set course." He leant back into his stabilizing chair and smirked. He was relaxed in the knowledge that his mission was nearly completed.


	22. Chapter Twenty-One

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Hawk finally removed the headphones with a look of disgust. "Ain't no use, Weismuller. There's nothing out there, he said, gesturing up at the empty sky.  
>"Well, I don't want to be an old I told you so, but ..." Weismuller had stopped mid sentence, his mouth hanging open. He was staring at something behind Hawk.<p>

There, silhouetted against the trees, stood the menacing black Bannerman fighter. Hawk blinked in disbelief before whispering, "Hey, Weismuller, do you think that's it?"  
>Weismuller turned and looked in the direction of the spaceship. He paused before answering, trying to make sense of the strange vessel. "Well, I don't know. I ain't never seen a satellite before. I expected it to be smaller, somehow..."<br>The hatch opened and Gavrok appeared in view. He unfurled the Bannermen standard and coldly surveyed the landscape before him. Unsheathing his blaster he stepped into the field; throwing back his head he let out an ear-splitting whistle. A column of half a dozen heavily-armed Bannermen responded by marching through the hatch and lining up behind him.  
>"Look, I don't know what's going on around here, but I think we'd better get out of here real fast!" said Weismuller, backing towards the Morris.<br>"Yeah, for once I think you could be right," Hawk agreed, stumbling over the radio in his haste to get away.

Suddenly Gavrok's mournful horn blew across the valley. "Halt!" he cried. Hawk and Weismuller froze. Within moments they were surrounded by the Bannermen. Weismuller was the first to speak. Putting on his most charming voice he said, "Oh, hi there. We weren't going anywhere."

"No, we thought maybe we'd just sit in the car for a while But we're not that fussy, I guess," Hawk added.  
>"Where is the Chimeron queen?" barked Gavrok.<br>Hawk shrugged, "Beats me, chief," he said.  
>At Gavrok's signal, a Bannerman shoots the radio set into ions. When the smoke cleared, all that remained was a mangled piece of twisted scrap iron.<br>"Hey, that's the property of Uncle Sam!" cried Weismuller in alarm.  
>Gavrok turned his icy glance on Weismuller. "Where is he, your Uncle Sam?"<br>Hawk raised a hand, saying, "No, you don't understand..." But he got no further. Gavrok gave another small nod and their tent is destroyed in a massive fireball.  
>"Boy, you sure get sore real quick," said Weismuller, watching the scraps of burnt canvas fluttering away in the breeze.<br>Gavrok aims his own weapon at the American agent. Weismuller's face drained of colour but Gavrok then changes his mind. "I won't waste good ammunition on these fools," he said. "I will lead the main party. You two remain here to protect the vessel and guard these incompetents!" He motioned to two of his men who nodded in reply. "Come!" Gavrok strode away down the valley followed by his henchmen.

"Boy! These guys really mean business," whispered Weismuller.

"Weismuller, I think I get it. The Chimeron Queen – that must be the satellite."

"And if the enemy get their mitts on it we're both sunk," Weismuller replied gloomily. They were both under the impression that the Bannermen were agents from some other world power. The true reality of the situation was totally beyond their comprehension. Before Hawk and Weismuller had a chance to draw any more conclusions the two Bannermen sentries advanced on the trembling Americans.

The Nostalgia Trips cruiser was ready to fly. All the Navarinos were aboard, except for Murray who was talking to Mel. He scuffed his feet in the dirt, saying, "Well, we're all gassed up and ready to go."  
>"Then you must leave at once, Murray" said Mel.<br>"What about the Doctor and Delta?" he asked.  
>Mel smiled, "We can follow you in the Tardis, wherever you go."<br>"I know, but I feel bad about leaving you here. It's your last chance to hitch a ride," Murray pleaded. From inside the bus came the sound of Murray's name being called repeatedly. The space passengers were very nervous by this time and wanted to leave as soon as possible.  
>Mel glanced up the valley. She didn't relish the idea of being left alone but she had made a promise. "No, I made an arrangement. I'd better stick to it. Thanks anyway," she said.<br>"Okay," said Murray, resigned to her decision. "Well, it's time to get this show on the road. As they say around here, see you later, alligator!"  
>Mel grinned and replied, "In a while, crocodile. Bye!"<br>Murray climbed aboard and fired up the engines. He turned the bus to face the open road and the afterburners covered Mel in exhaust fumes.

The exhaust noise rose to a shriek as Murray revved up the power and the bus started lumbering away down the road. Murray's had appeared through the window, waving at Mel.

"Bye!" shouted Mel, relieved that the bus was at last underway. Her smile froze in horror as the bus dissappeared in a flash of orange light. The flash temporarily blinded Mel.

Mel groaned as she slowly started to recover her senses. She became aware that something was moving. Straining her eyes to see, Mel started to rise. But she sank back to the ground when she recognized the red and black fluttering insignia of the dreaded Bannermen.

A lump rose in her throat. "No! No! She said as the realization dawned. She tried to rise but a large booted foot kicked her back. She was looking up into the ugly face of Gavrok. Standing behind him was a Bannerman with a transmat bazooka. He did nothing to hide the look of satisfaction on his face.  
>"So, one of them escaped," Gavrok growled.<br>What ... what have you done to all those innocent people?" asked Mel in a small voice, her face streaked with dirt and tears.

"They are now on our slave ship. Was the Chimeron queen amongst them?" said Gavrok, putting his transmat gun to Mel's head.  
>Although terrified and furious, Mel's wits hadn't deserted her. "Yes. Yes, she's gone. They're all gone," said Mel.<br>"Would you lie?" barked Gavrok.  
>"You saw what happened to the bus. No one is left!" she replied in a trembling voice.<br>Gavrok nodded and grinned, sniffing the metalic fumes of the transmat beam. "That's right. The Chimerons are now our slaves!" Raising his standard to the sky he shouted, "Chumeria is ours." Gavrok's men gathered round him cheering and whooping.  
>Mel felt totally wretched. It pained her to watch these vile creatures enjoying their victory so, but there was nothing she could do. She felt guilty about the Navarinos. If Murray hadn't lingered for so long, in an attempt to talk her into leaving, they would have been safely away by now.<p>

Gavrok turned and started walking back towards his ship. Mel's face showed her relief. But it wasn't to last long. In the distance she could already hear the approaching throb of the Vincent. She scrambled to her feet in time to see the Vincent and Nita's scooter rush over the rim of the valley, racing towards them. Gavrok turned, his gun ready.

Delta, in the sidecar, suddenly recognized the dark figures standing near the camp gates. "The Bannermen!" she yelled. Billy swung the bike into a tight turn, nearly flipping them over. Nita also spun her scooter around, the Doctor clinging on for dear life.

"Attack! Don't let them get away!" Gavrok screamed. The Bannermen all opened fire at once. "No!" screamed Mel. Transmat beams flashed all around the two bikes as they raced for the safety of the valley.

Within seconds the pasture resembled a battlefield. Whole trees had disappeared, having been transported to the slave ship. All signs of wildlife had disappeared except for flocks of terrified birds which covered the sky in a dark mass.

When they were out of sight Gavrok turned to Mel, his transmat gun glowing. "You lied!" he screamed at her, as he raised the gun and took careful aim at her.  
>"Stop!" someone said. Gavrok turned to see who had the effrontery to tell him what to do. Burton was furiously marching from the camp gates.<p>

"It would be extremely foolish of you to send her. Keep her as a hostage," he said to Gavrok. "She's far more use to you here."  
>Gavrok thought for a moment and then nodded. He turned to his number two, saying, "Transmat any other survivors. Tie these two up. They will not be hostages, but bait."<p>

Mel had never been so pleased to see anyone in all her life. She felt like kissing Burton. "Thanks; for one awful moment I thought I'd had it."

"Really, don't mention it. I've had dealings with scoundrels like this before. It's all a matter of psychology," said Burton putting a finger to the side of his head.

"Whatever it was I'm very grateful." Mel took several deep breaths and felt the blood circulate freely in her veins once more. What a holiday this was turning out to be.

**In the original story, the bus was blown up and everyone killed. I don't like that so I changed it to them being transported to a slave ship. Now I have to work out how the Doctor's going to rescue them.**


	23. Chapter Twenty-Two

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

"Stop, stop. Stop! Stop! He's not following us," cried the Doctor. The two bikes slewed into a lay-by.

"Do you think Murray and the others got away, Doctor?" said Delta.

"I'm afraid not," he replied, "That patch of empty earth reveals that they were transported somewhere else."

No one spoke. They were very upset to think of those hapless Navarinos, now somewhere else in space. Where were they? Could they be rescued?  
>"Mel's still there, Doctor," said Nita. "I saw her and Burton."<br>The Doctor snapped out of his reverie. "My immediate objectives are to set them free and find Delta and the baby somewhere safe," he said. "Then I can try to track down everyone else."

"I go along with that Doctor," said Billy, who was ready to do battle.  
>Delta suddenly stood up, gently stroking the silver pits under her ears. "Can you hear something?" asked Billy.<br>"I can't hear anything," said Nita.  
>"Shush. Those marks behind her ear are high frequency antennae," explained the Doctor. "What are you picking up?"<br>She screwed up her face in concentration. "It's not clear, but it's coming from down there," she said, pointing to the east.  
>"There's nothing there except old Goronwy's place..." said Billy.<br>"Does he keep bees?" asked the Doctor.  
>Billy looked startled, "Yeah. How did you know that?"<br>"It's his bees who are telling us to come," said Delta.

"Oh," said Billy not quite convinced.  
>"Billy, which is the quickest route to this Goronwy fellow's place?" asked the Doctor.<p>

"Straight through the bush. I know a short cut."

"Good! We'll follow you then," urged the Doctor. The convoy started off through the difficult terrain towards Goronwy's cottage.

Goronwy had a veil over his face and was unsuccessfully trying to eat a piece of honycomb through it when the Vincent and the scooter arrived.

"Hi Goronwy, we were wondering..." said Billy.

"Of course, of course. I am Goronwy" he said, holding out his hand to the others. You know, I feel very popular at the moment. You're the second lot of visitors I've had today," he added. The others looked at one another suspiciously. "Two Americans. At least I think they were Americans. Not very friendly though! But then I suppose they were in a bit of a rush," he continued.

"I thought for one dreadful minute..." Nita was cut short by the Doctor.

"If the Bannermen had been here first I doubt if his gentleman would have remained in such good spirits."

Delta's baby became agitated and started trying to grab the honeycomb from Goronwy. "She likes a bit of honey does she?" he said, his face wrinkling into a smile.

"Is it possible for these people to stay with you for a few hours?" asked the Doctor.

"Yes, of course. Come inside and have a cup of tea. Come along. There we are," said Goronwy.

"I'm going to have to leave at once. I wonder if you could lend me a pillowcase and a broom handle?" asked the Doctor. Goronwy accepted without question many strange things and so was not in the least curious about this odd request.

"Splendid," said the Doctor. "Oh, Billy, may I borrow your bike?"

"All right, Doctor," said Billy, looking doubtful, "but try and be careful though, won't you?"

"I'll treat it as if it were the Tardis," said the Doctor. Somehow this didn't have the ring of reassurance which Billy was looking for.


	24. Chapter Twenty-Three

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

Mel and Burton had been tied back-to-back outside the main block of chalets. Mel couldn't help fidgeting. The knots were biting into her wrists and stopping the flow of blood. "I'm afraid, young lady, that the more you wriggle the tighter it will get," advised Burton. "Try to relax. The selling should go down that way and you'll feel much more comfortable. It's an old army trick," he explained.

"Ok, I'll have a go," agreed Mel unhappily.

"Do you think the Doctor will come?" asked Burton.

"Yes! He'd never leave us here like this," said Mel as if Burton's question was a silly one.

"That's what I thought. I wonder what his strategy will be."

"Don't worry, the Doctor always thinks of something."

"You've been in situations like this before?" Burton appeared shocked.

"Oh yes, loads of times. We have a great knack of being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"I see," said Burton, unsure of what to say next, and thinking what a curious pair they were.

Gavrok sat in a rocking chair, a power blaster resting across his knees, waiting for the arrival of the Doctor and Delta. Like Mel, he was sure the Doctor would come. It was only a matter of time. He had heard many things about the Doctor but never that he was a coward. The Bannermen slouched around, priming their weapons. All heads lifted as the sound of the big twin echoed down the valley.

Then the Vincent appeared, driven by the Doctor. Stuck into the sidecar was a white flag of truce, or on closer examination, Goronwy's old bed linen. Gavrok smirked and raised the transmat gun. When the Doctor was within about 20 feet Gavrok fired. The flagstaff and white flag disappeared. When the Doctor cut the engine he was apoplectic with rage.

"How dare you! The white flag is the accepted signal for truce throughout the civilised universe!" he cried. "You may think that might is right, but I can assure you, you won't get away with it."  
>"Who will stop me? You, with your puny flag and your appeals to fair play and justice, huh? I spit on your justice!" said Gavrok.<br>"Your charm is only matched by your compassion," snapped the Doctor.  
>"Why should I not transport you right now?" barked Gavrok.<br>"Because you're in enough trouble already, Gavrok. Release those prisoners and I will testify that you showed some mercy."  
>"Testify? You'll never get me to trial," said Gavrok.<br>"We agree to differ. But you should know that Delta has sworn a statement alleging invasion and imprisonment of the Chimerons. You will be brought to account, Gavrok, and made to pay for your actions."  
>"Give me Delta and I will give you your freedom," hissed Gavrok.<br>"Freedom? What do you know about freedom, Gavrok? You deal in slavery. Lies, treachery and abduction are your currency. You promise freedom, but in the end it will be freedom which defeats you!" shouted the Doctor, shaking with fury.  
>Gavrok sprang to his feet. "You have said enough. I have traversed time and space to find the Chimeron queen. I will not be defeated."<br>The Doctor stepped back a pace but threw out his chest defiantly. "As you will. I came here under a white flag and I will leave under that same white flag, and woe betide any man who breaches its integrity. Now step aside! Release those prisoners Gavrok – it's over. You're finished and we're leaving!"

The Doctor took a white hankie from his pocket and waved it aloft. He pushed through the gawping Bannermen until he reached Mel and Burton. He started pulling at the ropes that bound them.

"Steady on Doctor," said Burton.

"Yes I know the old adage, 'More haste less speed', but I don't think this is quite the time or place to put it to the test," the Doctor replied. Finally they were free. As they turned towards the motorbike and sidecar, they hear the sound of cocking weapons behind them. They were looking down the barrels of a small arsenal. Standing with his transmat gun aimed straight at the Doctor was Gavrok.  
>"Actually, I think I may have gone a little too far," muttered the Doctor to Mel and Burton, who were thinking the same thing. There was only one way to go. The Doctor took the lead and started walking towards the waiting Vincent.<p>

**Dum Dum Dum! Will the Doctor be transported to the slave ship?**


	25. Chapter Twenty-Four

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

The Bannermen guns followed their every move, waiting only for the signal from Gavrok to transport the Doctor to the slave ship. The Doctor looked neither right nor left but strode resolutely towards the Vincent. His movements and facial expression showed no sign of fear. He might as well have been walking to the corner shop for a newspaper. Mel and Burton followed on behind, fearing that each step would be their last.

Burton held the Doctor in high esteem for his brave stance. He hadn't quite decided whether it was a sophisticated ploy or a spontaneous act of valour, but whatever the reason his action merited admiration. As he marched along behind the Doctor, Burton could feel the adrenalin pumping through his body. In fact, he was positively enjoying himself – it was almost like the old days in the army. But then, considering how traumatic this must be for his companions, he felt a tinge of guilt and tried to push the thought from his mind. After all, Mel and the Doctor were only civilians and had no military training. What a weekend this was turning out to be! Burton made a mental note of his feelings and observations. If they managed to get away safely he felt sure that this would prove to be a rich source of material for his work on the human condition.

Mel wished she had never got up this morning. This was the second time in one day that she had been threatened with slavery. She was becoming quite a veteran. At least she couldn't complain that her holiday was dull – it was more action-packed than most people dare hope for. It felt like she was participating in a bizarre dream, and without being able to control herself she began to laugh.

"I can't see the cause for hilarity, Mel," whispered the Doctor. "I might even go so far as to say that laughing at Bannermen, under these particular circumstances, might be described as suicidal." Hearing the Doctor's familiar voice brought Mel to her senses.

"Sorry Doctor. I don't know what got into me," she said guiltily. "But I think that it was nerves rather than humour."

After what seemed an eternity they finally reached the Vincent. The Doctor firmly gripped the throttle on the bike and swung the kickstarter. The bike roared into life and Mel gets into the sidecar and Burton gets on the pillion. The Doctor engaged first gear and slowly let out the clutch. Then they drive away. The anticipated volley of fire never came and the bike move slowly out of range towards the rim of the valley. Then, in a cloud of dust and with screeching tyres it took off like a bat out of hell.

Gavrok, who had followed their every move through his gunsight, smiled and raised his weapon into the air. He savoured nothing more than the smell of victory, and, carefully choosing his moment, he fired an incandescent flare into the sky. He stood motionless, watching it float eathwards like a small comet.

At the wooded copse the two Bannermen guards, Arrex and Callon, had Weismuller and Hawk sitting back-to-back. Arrex and Callon looked up sharply as the signal flare arced across the heavens. They instantly jumped to obey the command. Arrex headed back towards their fighter, while Callon covered Hawk and Weismuller.

"What's happening now, Weismuller?" asked Hawk.

"Why ask me? I don't know, but whatever it is, it's, it's better than, than just sitting around with these two jokers," muttered Weismuller, nodding in the direction of Callon.

Arrex emerged from the ship carrying a flat metallic bar about three feet long. At each end was an adjustable metal collar, studded on the inside with cruel spikes. Hawk shot Weismuller a sour glance. "I gotta feeling we might be in for a long spell of sitting around," Hawk said.

Callon opened one collar while Arrex fiddled with the other one. Finally, they clamped the collars around the necks of the unfortunate Americans, effectively immobilizing them. Arrex locked the collars in place with a small hexagonal device. They then stood back and studied their victims. Arrex laughed, "Come, Callon, they will be here when we get back."

Then Arrex and Callon headed towards a bend in the road, leaving their prisoners shackled by the neck and unlikely to stray anywhere.

After careful manoeuvring, cursing, cries of pain and many shouted instructions, Hawk and Weismuller managed to get to their knees but no further. However much they tried they found it impossible to stand.

"Even Houdini wouldn't be able to find his way out of this contraption," Weismuller grunted.

"Yeah, well I reckon Houdini would have been too darn clever to get himself in a mess like this in the first place," Hawk replied angrily.

"Boy. Listen," said Weismuller, "let's try sitting down again, eh … One, two, three." Weismuller sat down abruptly, dragging Hawk behind him. They had to move in total unison, otherwise the spikes in the collar would dig into their necks. Hawk was trying to turn his head to glare at Weismuller but the slightest movement made him wince.

They barely heard the scooter stop some distance away, but were instantly alert the moment Nita emerged from the cover of the trees. "I thought they'd never go," she whispered. "You look like something out of a medieval torture chamber."

"Thanks a lot, kid. You sure know how to make a guy feel better," responded Weismuller.

"Sorry! Can you move?"  
>"Sure, if I leave my neck behind..." said Hawk trying to speak without moving his jaw. "We'd really appreciate it if you could get us out of this," he pleaded.<p>

Nita examined the locks on the shackles and tried pulling them apart, but it was futile. "It's no use, lady. They've got a special kind of wrench. It's sort of like a dinky Allen key," said Weismuller.

Nita trotted back to her scooter and returned a moment later with her jangling tool bag. "Is this dinky enough?" she asked, producing a full set of Allen keys.  
>"It's looking good, sister," said Hawk, appearing cheerful for the first time that day.<p>

The sweat dripped from Weismuller's forehead as Nita tried one key after another. At that moment, Arrex and Callon were nowhere to be seen but they could return at any time. Weismuller felt sure that they would consider this to be an act of provocation and deal with them accordingly. Unfortunately, he had a good imagination and it made him squirm in anticipation of unpleasant things to come. Finally, one key worked and the shackles sprang open. Hawk and Weismuller got to their feet, rubbing their necks.

"That's torn it," said Hawk. "I think my back's gone again. I'm still paying physio bills from three years ago," he moaned.

"Quit griping, Hawk. Be grateful you're not still on your knees with that iron necklace round your gullet," snapped Weismuller.

"Follow me in your car!" hissed Nita urgently, already heading for where her scooter was hidden.

Hawk and Weismuller exchanged a puzzled glance but there was no time to argue. They would rather take their chances with Nita than wait around for the two Bannermen thugs to return. They jumped into the Morris and churned the starter. "Say," said Weismuller, "Who is she?"

"Beats me," muttered Hawk as they puttered after her.

As the Vincent thundered away from the camp, Mel and Burton whooped for joy. "We did it, Doctor! Free!" cried Mel. The Doctor didn't look quite so jubilant.  
>"Yes, there's more to this than we can fry, Mel," he muttered, changing gear as he approached a tight bend in the road.<p>

Mel was too relieved to allow the Doctor to take the wind out of her sails. She turned and smiled broadly at Burton, clinging precariously to the pillion saddle. "The Doctor is always suspicious. It's part of his nature," she giggled.

"I think probably that the Doctor's past experiences have taught him it's always better to keep an open mind," said Burton.

"Absolutely, Mr Burton. Remember Mel, things may look simple, but they are always at least twice as complicated as they first appear," replied the Doctor.

Arrex parted the gorse bush as he heard the bike approaching. He and Callon shared a glance and pushed small silver-flighted tracker darts into their weapons. The bike was slowing down for the bend as they stepped into the centre of the road, weapons raised.

The Doctor caught sight of the two Bannermen. He realized that there wasn't enough space to squeeze between them and the hedgerows which flanked the road, so he did the next best thing – he accelerated straight at them. As the Bannermen dived out of the way they fired: one of their small darts embedded itself in the sidecar and the other flew off at a tangent into the bush.

"Did they get you, Doctor?" gasped Mel.  
>"No, and I don't think they intended to," said the Doctor, glancing in the mirror in time to see Arrex and Callon trying to free themselves from the snagging gorse bushes.<br>"You could have fooled me," said Mel, not convinced.

Burton, his face frozen in a grimace, clung on for dear life.


	26. Chapter Twenty-Five

**Oh, wow, someone has favourited my story! Amazing! Thanks IAmTheRedLady**

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Goronwy was showing Billy and Delta around his hives. He has got Billy into the bee keepers net hat, but Delta seemed at home with the insects and walked bare-headed among them, holding her daughter's hand. The hatchling now stands as tall as a six-year-old, and already her skin tone and hair colour were starting to resemble her mother's. Goronwy led them to a large white hive right in the middle of the others.  
>"This is the queen's hive," he said grandly.<br>"What's that white stuff?" asked Billy, peering at some gooey white fluid in the waxy cells.  
>"Oh, royal jelly. It's a superfood created by the bees themselves. It has the ability to change an ordinary worker bee's larvae into a queen," said Goronwy.<br>Billy was suddenly more interested. "And that's all there is to it, a better diet?" he said.  
>"Never underestimate the powers of nature, Billy. Now, I want to show you something."<br>Goronwy puts the comb back in the hive, lifted his veil and leads them to an outbuilding. Billy and Delta followed, with her young daughter trailing behind, chewing on a piece of honeycomb.

Goronwy unlocked the door and threw it open. Billy and Delta could just see the glint of something inside. Goronwy led them in. There, on a trestle table, stood hundreds of jars of honey.

The barn was stacked from floor to ceiling with boxes. On the side of each carton was a fat bee. The rest of the barn was filled with all the normal paraphernalia of farming – coils of rope, wire, ladders, spades and forks. Hanging from the ceiling was a feed chute which could be raised and lowered by rope.

"Now, look at all those jars. New South Wales' finest honey, all created by my little friends," said Goronwy, proudly gesturing to the mountain of honey.  
>"How long did it take them to make all this lot?" asked Billy, slightly overcome by the scale of the production.<br>Goronwy scratched his chin. "Oh, I don't know. We've been working together so long I've completely lost track of all time. But I remember this one especially well," he said, blowing the dust off a jar and holding it up to the light. "It's 1962, a hot summer and abundant cherry blossom. A classic honey!" he said with pride.

"Incredible!" said Billy in awe.

"Take it mate," said Goronwy, offering him the jar. "Accept it with our compliments."

"Thanks. It will be just the thing for my toast," said Billy. Mundane activities such as breakfast seemed a distant memory.  
>Delta's child, sitting on a box, suddenly started making an extraordinary grizzling sound. "She's due to change. The singing time is near," said Delta. She gets the feeding tube of greenish liquid from her handbag and gave it to the child who sucked greedily at it.<p>

Billy is watching in fascination. "What's the singing time?" he asked.  
>Delta looked up as she helped the child to squeeze the final drops from the tube. "The next stage in her growth. This food will help boost her energy for the change."<p>

"Will she grow up to be a princess, too?" asked Billy, still barely believing his eyes.  
>Delta nodded. "Yes. Her hair and her eyes are already changing to my colouring. I've fed her this since she was born."<p>

Billy's eyes narrowed in concentration as a thought flashed through his mind. Surely it was too fanciful, too strange, too implausible … but just maybe …

A strange vibrant sound cut the air like a knife, causing Billy to wince and involuntarily put his hands up to his ears. "Sometimes that sounds good, other times it's horrible," he said, glaring at the small green creature.  
>"The sound oscillates - One frequency is an attack warning, and the other is musical. Soon she'll be able to control both," said Delta, taking the child in her arms.<p>

The sound of approaching vehicles caused them to look up. Nita arrived on her scooter closely followed by Hawk and Weismuller in the Morris.

Goronwy rushed outside to meet them, pleased and excited to receive more visitors. He was glad that he had stocked up with ample supplies of tea and cakes. He had always thought that it was very important to extend one's hospitality to both friends and strangers alike. The Americans were slightly dazed to be back at the farm, and took some coaxing to get out of the car.

Delta took the infant by the hand and wandered outside, leaving Billy to collect her knapsack. He picked it up and then paused, hesitating for a minute before reaching into the sack and producing a tube of the green high-protein larva food. Putting it into his pocket he stepped outside to join the others.

Some distance away Arrex held the open spiked collar in his hand, his anger matched only by his fear of Gavrok. There was nothing else for it fut to contact his chief. He clicked on his radio transmitter. "Tracker dart in place, sir," he said confidently, hoping that the good news would outweigh the bad. "but the prisoners have escaped, sir" he said, glancing nervously at Callon for support. Callon was staring at the ground. He had witnessed the wrath of Gavrok many times before and wasn't too hopeful about his response to their blunder.

There was a long silent pause. Finally, Gavrok spoke, "Idiot. Pursue at once. I will follow the signal." The radio whined, indicating that the discussion was over. Arrex and Callon shared a sigh of relief and set off down the road at a fast jog, not quite knowing where they were going or what they hoped to find. But anything was better than waiting there for Gavrok to arrive.

"We should have put their craft out of action," said Callon. Arrex laughed. "That piece of primitive technology was only fit for humanoids. We can move faster of foot. They can't have got far away. We'll find them and when we do..."

"They won't try and escape again in a hurry," said Callon completing the sentence.

They both felt more confident that they would be able to put matters right. Above all else, they had to avoid irritating Gavrok any further.

Meanwhile, the Doctor kicked the Vincent into neutral as they approached a crossroads. Burton pointed the way and they tore off down the road, the silver tracker dart still stuck firmly in the nose of the sidecar.


	27. Chapter Twenty-six

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

Outside Shangri La Gavrok was standing near the gates, staring at a small flat screen in his hand. He was following the radar blip being emitted by the tracker dart. "Return to the fighter!" he snarled at his men.

They slung their weapons over their shoulders and started towards their craft. Gavrok tailed behind, still staring at his blip screen, a look of intense irritation on his face. He was about to hand it to his adjutant when he suddenly noticed an orange glow impinging onto the screen from the direction of the TARDIS. Gavrok stopped and slowly turned his screen towards the Doctor's craft. As he approached the TARDIS the whole surface lit up with a tangerine tinge, indicating a vessel of considerable power. "So, Doctor," smirked Gavrok to himself, "we have found your ship. It will be your downfall."

Gavrok threw back his head and let out a shrill whistle which stopped the Bannermen in their tracks. Gesturing to the nearest Bannerman, Gavrok barked, "Sonic cone! At once!" The nervous soldier ran towards Gavrok, at the same time reaching into his pouch and producing a small blue pyramid-shaped object. He carefully handed the cone to Gavrok who growled at him. The Bannerman immediately locked his fingers to form a stirrup.

Gavrok stood in the man's hands and reached up onto the roof of the TARDIS where he steadied the sonic cone in place. He then removed the safety screw, giving him five seconds to get clear. He hopped down and they back away. Gavrok took the priming box from his belt and hit the red button. An answering red lighte started flashing on the sonic cone. The weapon was now fully armed and ready to go.

It worked by emitting a cone of ultrasonic sound which radiated within a specific aread around it. If anything were to break the sonic cone by attempting to enter its parameters it would trigger a massive transporter beam. The TARDIS had been booby-trapped in such a way that anyone entering the craft would be transported to the slave ship.

Gavrok throws a piece of wood in a slow arc towards the invisible force field. As the wood entered the field of power it disappeared in a brilliant flash of light.

Gavrok gave a rattling laugh and headed for the fighter.

In a field, blades of sweet young grass and stalks of clover were crushed under the heavy wheels of the Vincent. The Doctor had turned off the main road and was now bouncing his way across an open meadow. The only other inhabitants of the field were a couple of sheep, a herd of cows and a goat tethered in one corner. Mel's face revealed her perplexity. "Doctor! Why are we stopping, Doctor?"  
>"In order to lengthen our odds, may I borrow a length of your ribbon?" Mel handed her red ribbon from her hair to the Doctor who leaned down and killed the engine as they reached the goat. The goat gave them a disdainful look through its yellow eyes and then carried on chomping the grass.<p>

Outside Goronwy's cottage Hawk and Weismuller were leaning against the Morris. Hawk had a look of dull disbelief on his face. Billy, Delta, Nita and Goronwy stood in silence as Weismuller outlined their scuffle with the Bannermen in minute detail, going over and over the same points umpteen times. Puffing himself up before his captive audience he gestured away over the brow of the hill towards his attackers.

"Sure we tried to fight out way out, but there was just too many of them," said Weismuller waving his arms about. "You should see what's left of the radio and tent. Noth'n', but a hole in the ground. Their leader was about seven feet tall, a really ugly-looking guy. But I gave it to him straight. "Look!" I said, "we're working for the President of the United States of America. You mess with us and you mess with _him_." We could tell that shook him up a bit. So anyway there we were surrounded by these jokers, staring death in the face."

"OK, Weismuller I think they get the picture," said Hawk, a little embarrassed by Weismuller's make-believe show of bravado. "All I know is, they're not Americans!" said Hawk triumphantly. "No Yankee would carry on like that!" he said, glaring at the others, daring them to contradict him.

Nita was getting exasperated. "But we've already explained who they are!" she cried.  
>"Yeah, they're like hit men from Mars," Weismuller said.<br>Hawk rounded on him with a look of sheer disbelief on his face. "You too, Weismuller? Well, let me tell you something - Whoever they are, I plan to get even."  
>"Listen!" said Goronwy. Everyone fell silent. They could hear nothing at first, then it came faintly across the moors – the thump of the big Vincent. Soon it came into sight. Burton and Mel, although still whey-faced, were looking excited as the bike slewed to a stop before the others.<p>

"You rescued them, Doctor!" cried Nita.

"Well done Doctor," said Delta, who knew that it was no simple task to outwit the Bannermen.

"Yeah, well done Doc," Billy joined in as he circled his bike checking for signs of damage.

"Ah, we're not in the clear yet," replied the Doctor, his usual realistic self. "We only have a couple of minutes. Er, Nita tells me you've got some honey stored, Goronwy?"  
>"Only about ten thousand jars, Doctor," Goronwy said with some satisfaction.<br>"Excellent!" said the Doctor, springing out of the saddle. "Billy, Nita, you come with me and Goronwy. Mel, could you please get everyone ready to move out. I've got one final thing to do."

Goronwy led the Doctor into the barn, followed by Nita and Billy.

"Hey! Would someone mind telling me what is really going on around here," said Hawk.

"Oh! Don't start that again," Mel cried. "We've told you a trillion times already. Come on. Let's just do as the Doctor says."

"I don't want any more of your fairy stories. I just want you to level with me," Hawk whined.

"Shut up Hawk. Remember one of our functions is to observe and take note. We're trained to draw our own conclusions," Weismuller whispered to Hawk confidently. He had almost begun to believe his version of their struggle with the Bannermen and was feeling quite heroic.

Mel started to usher the others into the cottage, their progress punctuated by sounds of hammering and sawing coming from the barn.

On Gavrok's spaceship Gavrok stood before his vid screen. The blip had centred and was giving a constant regular pulse. Their quarry had obviously arrived at their destination.

"Signal has stabilised. Prepare to blast off," said Gavrok, confident that the end of his quest was near.

The pilot proceeded to flip his switches and the machine's powerful motors whined into action. The craft shuddered as the thrusters surged, lifting it skywards.


	28. Chapter Twenty-seven

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Callon and Arrex carefully parted the screen of pine branches to peer at the small cottage and barn. From this distance it appeared deserted, although there were a number of vehicles parked outside. Arrex put a magnascope to his eye and nodded to Callon. Through a window he could see Delta moving about inside the cottage. Callon snapped several lengths of silver tubing together to form a high-powered sniper's transporter beam. Arrex screwed the magnascope onto the barrel of the weapon and carefully took aim, waiting only for Delta to walk into the shot. In the branches above them a squirrel took flight and fled into a hole.

"Never mind those two worthless idiots. If we can transport the Chimeron Queen our leader will have good reason to be please with us," said Callon.

Arrex nodded in agreement. "He may even reward us." With that thought in mind they turned to the job in hand.

Inside the cottage they were all unaware of the impending danger. Delta's daughter was sitting solemnly in her chair, staring into space. Delta was looking through the contents of her knapsack with a worried frown and discovers she has only one pack of feeding tubes left. She hoped that the remaining food would be sufficient to see the little girl through her changes.

Burton, ever a calm presence in a crises, entered with a steaming tea-tray followed my Mel. Hawk and Weismuller were locked in earnest conversation in a dark corner.

Hawk played his trump card. "But it's our patriotic duty to call Washington, Hawk."  
>"Yeah, well, you go ahead, Weismuller. I ain't licked yet," said Weismuller defiantly. "And furthermore, I consider it to be my patriotic duty to see this thing through to the end. And that's exactly what I intent to do." Hawk was about to respond but he never got a chance to open his mouth.<p>

Delta's child stands up and emits her high pitched scream as she grows another six inches, and, shedding her greenish skin, she emerged a moment later about the size of a thirteen-year-old. She had perfectly clear skin with eyes and hair just like her mother's. Her 'singing' went up an octave, causing everyone to clap their hands over their ears.

Delta, who moments before had been standing in front of the window, dived out of sight. She reacted not an instant too soon – the window exploded under the impact of a high-density transporter beam and a great chunk of plaster disappeared from the opposite wall.

Crouching under the window, Delta pulled her weapon from her tunic and adopted a two handed firing stance. Suddenly she leapt up and stood in the window, taking aim at the snipers hiding in the distant trees. She shoots at them then ducked out of sight again, waiting for the answering fusillade of shots from the bush.

Arrex was lying on the pine needles. Callon still had his hands clamped over his ears, the Chimeron noise having the effect of paralysing him with pain. He glanced at the cottage and forced his frozen legs into action. Leaving Arrex behind, he staggered away through the pine forest. Branches cracked all around him as Delta fired another volley from the cottage.

The Chimeron war cry and fusillade of shots brought the Doctor, Billy, Nita and Goronwy rushing from the barn. The Doctor saw Delta standing in the window, her smoking phaser still in her hand. She slowly put her weapon away and was joined by her daughter. The Doctor smiled when he saw the change in the young girl. "She saved Delta's life with a warning cry. She's now into the singing time," he said.  
>Billy glanced anxiously towards the bush. "Do you think there are any more of them?" he asked.<br>"Certainly," snapped the Doctor. "We'd better get back to the Tardis, so we'll get ready to leave immediately. They could arrive at any time." The Doctor raised his voice. "Get ready to leave at once!" he cried. The cottage door opened and Mel appeared, leading the shaken inhabitants.

On board Gavrok's spaceship Gavrok snapped a fresh battery into is weapon. The ship's instruments indicated that they were right above the blipping tracer. "Prepare to land," he hissed. The pilot locked the craft into 'DESCEND' mode.

A strange convoy had assembled outside Goronwy's cottage. Nita was at the head of the column with the Doctor riding pillion. Behind them was the Vincent with Billy, Delta and her daughter. The final vehicle in the convoy was the Morris, containing Hawk, Weismuller, Burton, Goronwy and Mel. Hawk and Weismuller sat in the front with the others squashed in the back.

"I see why they call this car a Morris Minor," said Weismuller. "Next time we'll go for something a bit bigger – something more America!"

The Doctor suddenly remembered something. "One last touch," he muttered. Leaping down from the scooter he takes her scarf just as she puts it round her neck and stuck it under the door to the honey store and closes it.

He left a scrap of the brightly coloured material projecting from the door and then strode over to the open window of the cottage. He reached in through the window and turned on the radio at full blast.

The Doctor hopped back onto the scooter and gave the signal. "Head 'em up! Roll 'em out!" he shouted, and the strange convoy started off to the roar of exhausts.

The Bannerman fighter had landed in the corner of the goat field. The hatch flew open and Gavrok and six of his armed cohorts sprang out. Gavrok stared angrily around, searching for his quarry. He leads his Bannermen cautiously round the side of their spacecraft. "What is this?" he growled. He takes the tracker from a Bannerman and homes in on the signal.

An unmoving dot appeared on the screen. It equated with a spotted goat which was quietly chewing on a length of twine in the corner of the field. Gavrok strode over to the goat. There, around its neck, was the silver tracker dart, tied in place with a neat pink ribbon. He snatched it off and stared at the dart in his hand.

Gavrok's face slowly grew purple with rage. He spun around looking for someone to blame. Not wanting to catch Gavrok's eye his men stared intently at imaginary objects on the ground.

Callon, scratched and bleeding from his flight through the bushes, was gasping as he emerged from the bush. He had run non-stop for several miles, his ears still ringing. He found himself at the edge of a field with a dry stone wall surrounding it. He glanced up and could hardly believe his good fortune – there in the far corner of the field was his fighter! And some distance away he saw his beloved leader, standing beside a goat. He couldn't help noticing the terrible look on Gavrok's face and hoped that one of his colleagues was in more trouble than him. "Gavrok! Gavrok!" cried the exhausted Callon, clambering over the fence.

Gavrok looked up on hearing his name. What he saw only succeeded in making him more angry. Callon has lost his banners, his weapons and his dignity. He was no longer fit to be called a Bannerman. Gavrok raised his transporter gun and aimed at the hapless soldier.

Callon felt the blood drain from his face and knew that he would have to act quickly to save his freedom. "I found their hideout, sir!" he blurted. Gavrok looked with great distaste at the shabby soldier, undecided as to whether or not he should shoot. Finally, he lowered his weapon and Callon exhaled with relief.

Callon stumbled the last few metres to his leader before he dropped to his knees with exhaustion. Gavrok and the other Bannermen gathered around him while, panting heavily, he told them the full story. When he had finished Gavrok grabbed him by the collar and dragged him to his feet.

"I have decided not to enslave you this time, worm. Not because I am feeling merciful, you understand. That would be the mark of a weak leader. But because we may need every transporter that's available. Even if it does belong to a miserable coward." Pushing Callon away Gavrok ordered, "Tidy yourself up." Callon made a frantic effort to comply with his leader's wishes.

The strange convoy led by Nita and the Doctor threaded its way across the moors, heading towards Shangri-La and the final confrontation. More than one stomach was churning with nervous tension at the thought of what lay ahead.

Gavrok and his men, under direction from Callon, had also arrived at what they believed would be the final confrontation. They stood in the bush, surrounding Goronwy's farm, surveying the cottage. The music is blaring out. "They're still there. Stand by to storm it," he ordered.


	29. Chapter Twenty-Eight

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

The convoy hurtled through the gates at Shangri La and stopped beside the TARDIS. The Doctor was as usual in control, but a certain urgency conveyed itself. He turned to Burton, saying, "We will draw the Bannermen away when we leave. You should be perfectly safe since they are primarily interested in Delta. I'll prepare the TARDIS for immediate take-off."

The Doctor produced his key and started advancing towards the TARDIS. He suddenly stopped and squatted down, picking up a fragment of something lying charred in the dust. "Stay back! The Tardis has been booby-trapped. Mel, please get everyone inside the camp."  
>Hawk, who by now was completely fed up with all the strange notions strode forward and pointed at the TARDIS. "Booby-trapped? Ain't nothing but a telephone booth," he said confidently.<br>"See up there," said the Doctor, pointing at the blue pyramid on top of the TARDIS. "Next to the light? There's a small beam weapon. It emits a cone of sensitivity all round the Tardis. Anything entering that cone detonates a transporter beam."

"Sure it does," said Hawk laughing to himself.  
>"Can't you somehow get around it?" asked Nita, ignoring Hawk's remark.<br>The Doctor shook his head. "I don't know. It's a very sophisticated system."  
>Hawk elbowed his way forwards. "Yeah, well I reckon this is all so much eyewash. I'm a-calling the chief..."<br>The Doctor grabs Hawk's arm, stopping him just as his fingers touch the cone area. Fizz! BOOM! Ouch!

The blast threw Hawk onto his back, his face and hand blackened. He scrabbled to his feet, blowing on his burned hand, his eyes wildly spinning in his head.  
>"I did warn you," said the Doctor sternly, "If you'd have stepped into that beam, you'd have been transported to the slave ship!"<p>

"I … er ..." muttered Hawk. "This is all too much."

"C'mon back to camp, Lex," said Weismuller, gently trying to lead him back to safety.

"But … I was zapped by a callbox!" Hawk shook his head a few times then turned to Weismuller with eyes as wide as saucers. "They're all from outer space, Weismuller."

"Yeah, I know. It sure looks that way. Come on buddy, let's get you fixed up," said Weismuller, leading the stunned Hawk away to the camp. Every few seconds the limping Hawk would turn his head back to look at the TARDIS.

"Mister Burton? Take everyone back to the camp. Let me stay here and try and work out how to diffuse that booby-trap, because if it explodes with its full force, it'll take us all with it," said the Doctor.  
>Burton nodded and started to shepherd everyone to safety. He was completely at ease now that he was back on familiar territory. He looked on the Doctor as the Commanding Officer and was prepared to carry out his instructions without hesitation. He know how important it was to maintain discipline. If only that Hawk fellow had followed orders he wouldn't be in the state he was in now. Although he thought perhaps it was a little unkind, he considered Hawk's unfortunate accident to be a useful lesson and one that he hoped the others had learned from.<p>

The Doctor stood staring at the TARDIS for a moment, a maze of complex options whirling through his brain. Finally, he decided on the simplest. He picked up a long stick and started to cautiously approach his spaceship. 

Outside Goronwy's cottage Gavrok dropped his hand. "Open fire!" he cried and a withering burst of sustained fire ripped out of the trees towards the cottage. Windo panes smashed and bullets pock-mark the building as the ear-splitting cacophony continued. At last, Gavrok raised his hand as a signal for the men to stop firing.

The silence was eerie. Gavrok was the first to emerge from the trees, his weapons raised. He and his men fanned out as they carefully approached the cottage.

He and his lieutenant flanked the front door. Gavrok kicked it open. He and his henchman rolled inside, firing wildly, hoping to transport any opposition before they had a chance to fire back.

The cottage seemed empty. Gavrok led his men from room to room, finding nothing. His face grew darker with each disappointment until he reached the rearmost room in the house.

Gavrok put his finger to his lips signalling silence then crashed through the door, firing. The only victim was the old radio, which disappeared. He whirled on the terrified Callon, standing quaking behind him.

"Where are they? Scum!" demanded the leader of the Bannerman warfleet. "They … they were here, sir," sputtered Callon, fearing that unless he found some trace of the Chimeron Queen, and found it fast, his freedom would be gone swiftly. "Maybe … maybe they're outside, sir," he gasped. Gavrok glared at him and turned on his heels.

Once outside Gavrok scanned the skies, thinking that they may have escaped vertically, but then something caught his eye. Projecting from under the honey store door was a scrap of brightly-coloured material. Gavrok smirked and tiptoed up to the locked door. He powers his way through the door. His men follow.

Another anti-climax! The barn was empty. Gavrok was about to leave when he heard a sound. A faint rumbling which grew swiftly in intensity until it was like the galloping of a multitude of horses. Gavrok and his men all looked up at the same moment in time to see a wooden feed chute was the source of the noise – about ten thousand jars of Goronwy's finest honey. Gavrok opened his mouth to shout but it was too late. An instant later all the storage racks topple onto them, jars breaking and covering the men with lovely honey, so thick that they could barely move.

They stagger back outside in slow motion, trying desperately to see and breathe through the glutinous liquid. When they managed to wipe the sticky mass from their faces, they proceeded with the task of trying to pick shards of glass from their skins and clothes. Gavrok roared in frustration and cursed the Doctor to the heavens.

However, there was worse to come. As Gavrok and his men slowly made their difficult journey towards the water's edge they became aware of a distant droning, getting louder each second. Gavrok's face twisted up towards the new sound and froze in horror. The very sky seemed to darken as a monstrous buzzing filled the valley. A vast swarm of bees converged on the honey-covered Bannermen.

The Bannermen, who until now had seemed as incapable of movement as flies in amber, were suddenly galvanized into action by the bee attack. They flayed their arms in the air, beating at the attacking bees in an attempt to protect their heads and faces, and fled, led by Gavrok, straight into the waters of the reservoir. Their plunge into the icy depth worked for a brief moment, but each time they surfaced for air the Bannermen were attacked with concentrated ferocity. Gavrok stood up in the water and fired his transporter into the savage swarm but to no avail. Within seconds he had been forced to duck under the protective waters of the reservoir once again. While in the air above the lake, the bees were grouping for a fresh assault.


	30. Chapter Twenty-Nine

**I couldn't update for a couple of days because we had a big storm and lost power for about 24 hours, which meant I got behind in my writing. I'm catching up now, so 2 chapters today.**

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

At Shangri-La the dining hall had been converted into a sanatorium. The whole affair was somewhat makeshift, consisting of Vinney's Red Cross box and a number of sheets which Weismuller was tearing into strips. Hawk sat motionless, still deeply shocked by his recent experience.

Even though his brain was dulled from the blast he was making a concerted effort to analyse the day's events. His head and hand had been bandaged very amateurishly – the strips of sheet wound around his head were already falling down over his ears. Hawk looked a pathetic site. Delta was helping Weismuller prepare the room as a sick bay in the event of a major Bannermen attack.

Although Delta busied herself with her sick bay chores she knew that there was a strong possibility that it would never be used. Tears welled in her eyes when she thought of her beautiful daughter's life being in danger. She had never hated anyone in her life before, always considering it to be a destructive emotion, however, at this moment in time, Gavrok was the prime recipient of her feeling of loathing.

Just then Burton bustled in, wearing his favourite duck-stalking hat. A shotgun was crooked under his arm, and although he looked slightly comical there was nothing amusing about his expression.

"Has anyone seen Billy?" he asked impatiently.

"He's just checking the fire equipment. I"ll fetch him," said Delta and hurried into a small store room. Rows of red fire extinguishers stood along the wall.

Billy stood by a length of fire hose and was putting something into his mouth when he heard Delta's quick footsteps approaching. Whatever it was, he hid it behind his back and turned to face her with a guilty smile. Delta immediately sensed something was wrong. "What's that you're hiding, Billy?" she demanded.

Billy tried to think of an excuse but realized that it was hopeless. He produced the empty tube of high-protein larva food from behind his back. The colour drained from Delta's face. "Billy! You haven't been eating that, have you?"  
>"I had to, Delta. I'm not a Chimeron, but if I'm to come with you, then I have to become one..." he explained miserably.<br>"But it's never been tried on humans before. It might kill you," said Delta, feeling a wave of helplessness sweep over her.  
>"It'll be all right. I think. Look at my skin and my hair. They're already changing," said Billy, looking at his reflection in the stainless steel side of a fire extinguisher. He tried to sound optimistic, but still felt a certain dread at how the untried chemical might affect a human being. Delta stepped closer to Billy, checking his eyes. It was true, small green flecks had started to appear around his dark pupils.<br>Delta felt her heart beating faster as she and Billy stepped closer to each other, seeking comfort in each other's eyes. A cough from the door brought them instantly back to reality.  
>Burton stood there looking faintly embarrassed. "Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt, but we're ready for you at the office now, Billy," he said, somewhat more gruffly than was strictly necessary.<br>"Sure thing, Mister Burton," said Billy, smiling bravely at Delta before following Burton towards his office. Delta looked again at the empty protein tube in her hand and her face grew grave – anything could happen to Billy but this wasn't the time to think about it. A Bannermen attack could come at any moment.

She was, however, strangely moved by Billy's actions. "He must really love me," Delta said out loud, then lapsed into silence. After all, she thought, no rational person would endanger their life without good reason … If they managed to survive all this chaos there would be much to do. Chumeria would never again be the same in her lifetime, but with a good man by her side she could certainly put her beloved planet on the road to recovery.

She felt a warm glow in the pit of her stomach and smiled to herself. How ironic, she thought – at last she had found true love, but she might never live to enjoy it.

Outside Shangri La, The Doctor was on his hands and knees, drawing a circle in the dirt around the TARDIS. When he was finished he gingerlly poked a stick across the line; it immediately exploded.

The Doctor sighed and got to his feet, dusting himself down. This was going to be a lot more difficult than he had originally thought. Nita appeared at his elbow. "Oh, what are you doing, Doctor?" she asked.  
>"Well, I was marking out where the sonic cone meets the ground," he said by way of an explanation.<br>Nita looked dumbfounded. "Why?"  
>"Well, you see, the beam casts a shadow at the base of the Tardis. Now, if we could tunnel under the cone and come up in that shadow, then perhaps I could disarm it. Is there a spade back at the camp?" he asked, peering with ferocious intensity at the sonic cone atop the TARDIS.<br>"Er, Doctor?" said Nita, a tremor in her voice.

The Doctor started to brush aside her imagined objections, "Yes, I know it's time consuming, but it's our only choice..." he muttered.

"Uh … Doctor ..." said Nita again. This time a sense of urgency conveyed itself to the Doctor and he looked at her face. She was looking at something some distance away. The Doctor followed the line of her eyes and sighed. "Sooner than I thought," he said in a resigned tone.

The Bannermen fighter had just landed at the far side of the camp and the hatch was already swinging open. "Apart from plan B. Run!" cried the Doctor, grabbing Nita's hand and running for the safety of the camp as fast as they could.

Inside the dining hall Mel had set up a human chain, ferrying buckets from the fire equipment room to the centre of the hall. Although Hawk was part of the chain he was still in something of a daze and would occasionally tip his bucket onto the floor, turn it end up and sit down, lost in thought. He was in just such a position when the door flew open and the Doctor burst in crying, "They're here! Nita, everyone else stay here until its safe to come out. Goronwy, have you got the beeswax? Delta and your daughter, come with me. Barricade the door."

Goronwy dug in the pockets of his overall and produced a couple of yellow wax tablets, one of which he passed to the Doctor.

"Thank you. Where are Burton and Billy?" he asked.

"They're in Mr Burton's office," said Mel.

The Doctor, Delta and the girl all ran from the dining hall. Mel immediately started barricading the doors with up-ended tables. Weismuller and Goronwy were doing their best but they really could have used some help from Hawk, who was still sitting on his bucket and staring into space.

"Hawk! Do you think perhaps you could make an effort for once. You only suffered a few minor burns," said Weismuller irritably. Hawk completely ignored him "I'm gonna put this down in my report, Hawk. And I might not even what to partner you, next time out." Hawk was like a marble bust.


	31. Chapter Thirty

**Chapter Thirty**

Inside Burton's office things had taken on a distinctly militaristic appearance. Burton took his ancient ceremonial sword off the wall and carefully drew it out of its sheath.

Billy had expected to see a dull and rusty blade, but was impressed by the gleaming, razor-edged weapon with which Burton is energetically swishing around. He finally handed it to Billy, saying "Oh, I haven't used it in over forty years, but it'll still put the wind up a Bannerman!"

"I'll guard the dining hall, Mr Burton," said Billy, feeling a rush of courage as the blade whistled through the air. Burton seemed to have been transported back to another era, sniffing the air, trying to get the scent of battle.  
>"Through shot and shell, eh? We'll teach these blighters a lesson..."<br>The door opens and The Doctor enters, leading Delta and her daughter, and nearly meets the point of the sabre. The Doctor surveyed the preparations with some satisfaction. "Oh! Excellent effort, Mister Burton, but the weapon we're using will be a little more sophisticated. Are you ready, Billy? Could you please fetch a ladder."

"Right away, Doctor," said Billy, sheathing his sword and scuttling out of the door.

Billy smiled at Delta feeling quite important now that he was fully armed. "Don't worry Delta – those Bannermen will be sorry they ever left … er … wherever it was they came from." Delta smiled at Billy encouragingly.

The Doctor turned to Delta. "Now, are you sure that you know what you have to do?"

"Yes, Doctor," she replied.

"Then it's only Mr Burton who needs to be briefed. Now, if you could just turn on your Public Address system..."

Burton clicked on the heavy amplifier and stood the microphone on his desk. Everything was ready...

The Bannermen all looked a sorry sight after the bee attack, with faces puffy, eyes closing, and lumps and stings covering every inch of exposed flesh. Gavrok was the worst stung and consequently in the worst mood. His unstoppable rage had transformed itself into a deadly determination. As his men streamed past he gave them a final word of warning. "Once inside, you will transport everyone except the young princess. I will deal with her personally."

Gavrok jumped out of the hatch and strode off towards the camp.

Billy was dragging the powerful speaker box from his room while the Doctor leant a ladder against the wall of Burton's office. The Doctor ascended the ladder with Billy clambering up behind him, hauling the speaker box.

Together they managed to get the heavy object onto the apex of the Chalet block roof. In the distance they could see the sinister black uniforms of the approaching Bannermen. Wires dangled from the speaker box into Burton's office.

Billy watched nervously as the Bannermen came closer. "Now?"

"Not yet ..." said the Doctor, keenly watching the approaching danger. "What a charming bunch they are. It looks rather like they may have been in recent combat with a swarm of bees," he chuckled. Billy was too tense to see the joke and kept his eyes firmly on the Bannermen.

Gavrok stopped and sniffed the air likesome kind of jungle animal. He could sense danger but couldn't see where it was coming from. Directly in his path was the TARDIS. Gavrok unclipped a transporter grenade from his belt and pulled the pin with his teeth, his red eyes scanning the horizon like lazer beams.

Up on the roof Billy was squirming with tension. "Now?"  
>"A moment's impatience would mean our certain annihilation," snapped the Doctor. The strain was beginning to show. The Doctor knew that they would only have one chance against Gavrok, and if that chance were squandered then the ferocious Bannermen would triumph, with disastrous results for all.<p>

Gavrok's regular scanning motion picked something up. "Snipers, forward!" he hissed. Two Bannermen armed with long slim silver transporter weapons, complete with high powered magnascopes, came abreast of their leader.

However, Gavrok wanted to choose his moment – nearly as exquisite as the pleasure of victory was the look in the victim's eyes when they knew for certain they had been defeated. And in this case Gavrok was adamant that they would all be made to pay for the bee attack. Yes, he would choose his moment with care.

Gavrok unhooked the spiral horn from his belt …

Up on the Chalet block roof Billy could barely contain his nerves.

"Ah, they've spotted us, Billy," said the Doctor. "Stand by ..." The Doctor pulled a lump of beeswax from his pocket and gave half of it to Billy who quickly stuffed it into his ears. Mel and the others were standing on a table, peering through an airbrick at the Bannermen massing outside.

Gavrok was within spitting distance of the TARDIS when he noticed the circle drawn in the dirt around the base of the craft. He stopped and raised the horn to his lips. A low mournful bellow rang out through the camp, sending icy shivers amongst his intended victims.

The snipers came alongside and raised their weapons, taking careful aim at the Doctor and Billy perched on the rooftop.

"NOW!" cried the Doctor. Billy frantically tugged on the wire which led from his speaker box. Inside the office Delta felt the signal and propelled her daughter towards the microphone. She opened her mouth and starts her high-pitched scream at full volume into the microphone.

The Chimeron warcry echoed across the valley, and Billy's and the camp speakers amplify it a thousand times, throwing it out at a huge wattage.

It was as if the Bannermen had walked into a concrete wall. They stopped dead, and start writhing on the ground, clutching their heads. The 'singing' hit the precise frequency which was necessary to immobilize them. As the keening sound reverberated around the valley the Bannermen looked a spent force.

All except for Gavrok who tossed his head like a wounded bull and refused to go down. He let out a bellow of rage and pain as he staggers around, his hands locked over his ears, trying to keep the immobilizing noise out of his head. But Billy's system was standing up well and throwing out a high number of decibels. Gavrok's eyes were screwed up in pain as he tottered from side to side, each step carrying him closer and closer to the ring circumscribing the Tardis. His feet shuffled nearer to the circle until the young girl's voice rose in a final crescendo which sent Gavrok spinning straight into the beam of the sonic cone.

BOOM! Bang! Flash!

Gavrok pulsed with purple light for an instant before being transported to the slave ship by the powerful weapon of his own devising. His men, lying weakly in the dust nearby, could only watch horrified as their beloved leader vanished in a puff.

The Doctor was running from the camp, followed by Billy brandishing his sword. Weismuller and Nita trailed along behind carrying a sports bag crammed with skipping ropes. "Secure them with these," he said, handing them to Weismuller.  
>"Oh, thanks, Doctor. You know, when I was an Eagle scout, knots was my best thing." Weismuller began to truss up the Bannermen, pulling the knots as tightly as he could. It was his revenge for that awful contraption he and Hawk were forced to wear. Maybe he had been a little hard on Hawk. After all, there was the possibility that his head wound was more severe than he had originally thought. As soon as he had finished his task he would check Hawk out. As he worked he gave the Bannermen a running commentary. "Okay, pal, here's my speciality. A running noose combined with a dog shank. How about that?"<p>

Finally, the Doctor signalled to Delta and the 'singing' stopped, much to everyone's relief. The Bannermen were lying tightly trussed on the ground. The Doctor checked that no damage had occurred to the TARDIS and then turned, walking back towards the camp.


	32. Chapter Thirty-One

**I haven't been able to update for a few days due to internet connection problems.**

**This is a long chapter.**

**Now that Gavrok and the Bannermen are restrained, the Doctor has to rescue the slaves from Gavrok's ship. I am borrowing some ideas from Holly Black's story A Big Hand For The Doctor.**

**Chapter Thirty-One**

"Now, to release the prisoners," said the Doctor, heading to the TARDIS with a shovel. Mel and Nita followed him. The Doctor dug a tunnel underneath the circle he had drawn around the TARDIS.

"Mel, you're tiny, would you be willing to squeeze through the tunnel for me?" asked the Doctor.

"All right," agreed Mel, a little dubiously.

Mel wriggled through the tunnel and came up just in front of the TARDIS door.

"Be sure to stay very close to the TARDIS," warned the Doctor. "If you step away from it, you'll be zapped by the transporter beam. Now go into the TARDIS."

Mel took her key from around her neck, and opened the TARDIS door. The Doctor gave her instructions on how to reverse the polarity of the transporter beam to disable it. When she finished there was a ping and a flash from the sonic cone.

"It should be safe now," said the Doctor, picking up a stick. He threw it into the circle. Nothing happened.

"It worked!" cried Mel.

The Doctor walked into the TARDIS, with Nita on his heels. "Now I have to rig the transporter to take me to the ship without being trapped with the other prisoners," he said.

The Doctor fiddled around with the TARDIS controls. "Right," he announced. "That should do it. Here I go."

"Wait!" cried Nita. "Don't you want us to come with you?"

"Well, I suppose Mel could come," replied the Doctor. "But you'd better stay here, Nita."

"Oh please let me come Doctor," pleaded Nita. "I might be able to help."

The Doctor sighed. Nita had proven herself brave and useful. "All right," he conceded. "But stay close to me and do everything I say."

"I will!" promised Nita.

The Doctor activated the transporter beam and the three of them stepped out of the TARDIS. They were lifted up into the glow of the transporter beam.

The Doctor had imagined that transport to the ship would be instantaneous, but he was wrong. The beam sucked them into its belly and the Doctor supposed that this was how being eaten must feel.

The Doctor started feeling drowsy and he realised that the beam contained a soporific agent designed to lull prisoners into a peaceful sleep to prevent them from resisting their captors when they arrived on the ship. The Doctor shook himself vigorously to stay awake, while at the same time holding his breath.

Suddenly he was back on Gallifrey, with his family, safe at last.

"_That's right," said his mother and she smiled down at him, her long hair brushing his forehead. "Stay here, Theta. Stay here with me and you can tell tales of the worlds you have visited. I so want to hear your stories."_

_She is so pretty, _he thought. _Just as I remember her._

"Rassilon!" swore the Doctor aloud. "I am being drugged." He began to describe what was happening around him just to stay alert.

"I can see Mel and Nita in the beam. I can feel Mel's joy. I wonder what she sees in her dreams?"

The beam was more than light. It offered resistance when touched and was heavily charged to allow suspension of dense matter.

"I know we are moving," continued the Doctor, narrating his journey. "Yet there is no sensation of movement. No friction whatsoever. I can honestly say that in spite of the ominous circumstances, I have never been so comfortable."

A slender shape flitted past and the Doctor knew, even from the briefest glimpse, that it was Mel.

"Mel, my dear!" he cried, releasing more precious breath, but Mel's smile never wavered, and she did not answer.

The Doctor saw in her expression how optimistic about the universe Mel was and he realised how utterly she would collapse in the Bannermen's hands That could not be allowed to happen.

They passed through the folded-pastry layers of a puffed-up cumulus and emerged looking at the stars. The second star on the left winked and crackled suddenly as its cloaking shield was powered down, and where sky had been now hovered the hulking Bannerman slave ship.

The beam drew them towards the specially modified bay of the mid-size interplanetary-class frigate. The underside was scored from many close calls with asteroids and weapon fire. The Doctor could clearly see the spot welds where a new plate had recently been attached.

Space gates were cranked open and the Doctor saw that the transporter beam had been modified to be controlled from inside the ship itself, which was incredibly dangerous if not properly calibrated, but it did allow the Bannermen to draw their victims directly into the hold for processing.

The Doctor could feel himself losing the battle to stay alert. "The subjects are drawn inside and often spontaneously and in perfect synchronisation sing every word of the Monzorian opera _Grunt the Naysayer."_

_Stop it! _The Doctor chided himself. _Draw your wits about you. Say what you see._

"The Bannermen ship works on the same principle as those despicable Orthonian whaling factories," he said, feeling a numbness buzz along his arms. "Once the subjects have been deposited inside the Bannerman ship, they are scanned by computer and the ship decides how best to use each one. Most are locked in cells to be taken back to the home world to be sold, but some are sent directly to be servants to Gavrok and the other high-ranking Bannermen."

The giant gates yawned wide and sucked the subjects into a vast processing cell. Rows of chains hung from the metal wall and a couple of Bannermen stood ready stun any new arrivals who put up a fight.

The beam was powered down and its cargo dropped with a thump into a pit on the deck. Beyond the processing cell the Doctor could see another holding cell with about 60 people chained to the wall.

_Sixty to save, _he thought. _And those Bannermen have the high ground._

As soon as the last of the transporter beam had faded, the Bannermen cranked up their stunners and turned them on their latest victims, blasting Mel, the Doctor and Nita into a heaped hotchpotch of limbs and torsos in the corner of the pit.

Hit by stunners on two sides, the Doctor could barely breathe. He couldn't have fought back if he wanted to. But he didn't want to. When your enemy believes you to be unconscious, let them continue to do so until you gain a tactical advantage.

Or plainly put: play dead until they come close.

The second Bannerman put away his stunner and checked a computer console with big coloured buttons.

"Ship say beep, Gomb," he said, puzzled. "What beep mean?"

_What beep mean? _Obviously Gavrok kept the slower members of his crew on the lower decks.

Gomb clipped his stunner on to a special hook on his belt and hurried to check the screen.

"Special beep!" he exclaimed. "We got a Time Lord. Computer say Time Lord. Slave worth many money pieces."

Gomb squinted at the sleeping bodies. "Which one?"

"Lay them out," ordered his companion. "I tell Gavrok face to face and maybe get grog bottle for we two. You find Time Lord."

The Doctor tried to pull his limbs from their entanglement so he would have some chance in a physical struggle, but he was stuck fast, pinned at the bottom of the body pile, his face a metre from Mel's. Her eyes were open now, and he could see her consciousness return.

_She is frightened, _he thought. _I cannot allow her to be enslaved._

But Mel was not enslaved yet and neither was the Doctor.

"Doctor," she whispered. "What can we do?"

"Shhhhh," said the Doctor gently, wishing he could give her some encouragement, but if anything there was worse to come before things got better, which they probably would not. "Dream a while."

Bannerman Gomb jumped down into the pit, his boots striking the deck with a clang. He sauntered across the closed space doors to where the valuable Time Lord was waiting. He reached the body pile and hauled off Nita, laying her straight out and straightening her clothes.

"Yer going to meet Gavrok," he said. "Look yer best for Gavrok and maybe he make yer his servant instead of sell yer."

The Bannerman returned to the pile and bent towards Mel.

This was as far as he got because the Doctor had reached up and yanked the release switch on the stunner on Gomb's belt. This was not as precise a plan as the Doctor would have liked, but if he had estimated the stunner's power correctly, and providing the Bannerman's belt did not break, the result should be advantageous for the prisoners.

Advantageous was one way of putting it: Gomb had barely a moment to register what was happening when the stunner went off, lifting Gomb bodily into the air, and sent him flying down a corridor, out of sight.

The Doctor knew that he had seconds before their escape attempt was known to everyone on the ship. They were probably under video surveillance right now.

He crawled out and turned to Mel.

"My dear," he said, wiping her eyes, "are you hurt?"

"No," she said, but she was terrified. The Doctor could see it dawn on her what happened here as she stared raptly at the chains on the walls.

"Mel, listen to me," said the Doctor, taking her face in his hands. "I will get us out, but you need to help me. Do you understand?"

Mel nodded. "Of course, Doctor. I can help."

"That's my girl. Drag Nita into the centre of the space gates. Inside the circle." The Doctor now regretted agreeing to let Nita come along.

"Inside the circle."

"As quick as you can, Mel. Then we need to try to free the other captives. We have mere moments before reinforcements arrive."

Mel began her task of pulling Nita inside the circle. She slid across the deck easily enough.

The Doctor hurried up the steps to the console. The controls were set to the Bannermen's homeworld, which the Doctor could understand well enough, but he switched the language to Earth English and locked the preferences, which might give them another second or two when they needed it.

The Doctor ran a search of the vessel for captives and found none besides the ones on that deck. That made the Doctor feel a lot better about the action he had decided to take.

He circumvented the Bannermen craft's basic security codes and quickly reset the transporter beam parameters and door controls. Once the computer had accepted his overriding commands, the Doctor set such a complicated password that it would take either ten years or a miracle to get this computer to perform any task more complicated than playing solitaire.

The Bannermen did not have ten years, and the univers certainly did not owe them a miracle.

Mel had managed to bring Nita on the circle in the centre of the bay doors. Nita was awake and attempting to stand, although feeling very ill and disoriented.

Mel hugged the Doctor with one arm and Nita with the other.

Seconds passed and the Doctor began to fret that he had allowed too long on the timer. The Bannermen would be upon them at any moment. In fact the approaching ruckus echoing down the corridor suggested that this moment had arrived.

A dozen or more Bannermen fell over each other to access the cargo bay, training their weapons on the Doctor and his fellow captives. But they did not fire. Why would they? These prisoners represented a day's wage. By the looks of it they had managed to surprise Gomb, he was so stupid. And what could the prisoners do now. Outnumbered, surrounded and unarmed? There was nothing for them to do but accept their fate.

Gavrok elbowed his way to the front of the pack. "Doctor!" he bellowed, and it sounded as though someone had taught a rhinoceros to talk. "You tricked me into being transported back to my ship. But here you have become my prisoner anyway!"

"Yes, I am here," said the Doctor.

Gavrok laughed. "You should not have come here."

"I had unfinished business," said the Doctor, counting down from five in his head.

"We both have unfinished business," said Gavrok.

Generally the Doctor was not in favour of rejoinders or snappy on-liners but this captain was a vile specimen and so he treated himself to the last word.

"Our business is now finished," the Doctor said, and the space door opened beneath them, dropping the Doctor and his group into the black of night, three thousand metres above the glowing electric lights of Newcastle.

Gavrok was disappointed that he would not get to sell the Doctor, but the fact that the Time Lord would be dead in a matter of seconds cheered him somewhat. There was one little thing that niggled at him, though: if the Doctor had set the space doors to open, what other computer settings could he have fiddled with?

He barged to the nearest screen and was greeted by complicated unfamiliar text running in ever-increasing circles.

"Doctor!" he bellowed. "What have you done?"

As if to answer his question, the transporter beam fired off one short fat squib through the closing space doors. Just one burst that grazed the doors on its way out before they clanged shut.

_Lucky for us, _thought Gavrok, _because if the transporter beam was ever fired when the space doors were closed it would be the end of the entire ship._

Again it seemed as though the computer could read his mind as it diverted every spark of energy into the transporter and unloaded it directly at the holding cell full of prisoners, who disappeared from sight.

The Doctor and his party plummeted to Earth, although it felt as though Cessnock was rushing upwards to meet them. There was no room in their lives for thought now. Life had been reduced to the most basic of urges: survival. And if they did survive tonight, any of them, then their lives would never be the same. They would have been to the brink, peered into the abyss and lived to speak of it. Only the Doctor maintained something of his faculties, as near-death experiences were more or less his specialty.

He saw it coming from the corner of one eye, an orange bloom in the sky above them.

_Physics, don't fail me now, _he thought. Then: _Physics cannot fail, but my calculations could be flawed._

The bloom blossomed and became a bolt, which shot towards them with unerring accuracy, leaving a wake of fairy sparks behind it.

The Doctor pulled Mel and Nita tight, hugging them to him.

_Live or die. This moment decides._

The transporter pulse enveloped the small band, and slowed their descent in a series of jarring hops and sputters. The Doctor found himself floating on his back watching the Bannerman ship floating above him.

_I will contact the Shadow Proclamation as soon as I return to the TARDIS, _he told himself. _They deserve to be locked away for a long time._

They would survive.

They would be fine.


	33. Chapter Thirty-Two

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

Delta was hugging her daughter. Burton was unplugging the PA when the Doctor appeared in the window. "It's over," he said with relief. The others stared blankly at him. "Well done, Princess, that was wonderful. It's over, Mister Burton."  
>Burton is still looking out of the window. The Doctor taps him on the shoulder and Burton turns, sword raised. "Mister Burton, it's over. It's over!" said the Doctor a bit louder, thinking that the 'singing' may have left them temporarily deaf.<br>Burton removes the beeswax from his ears.  
>"Oh! Aye," said Burton.<br>"It's over, we won!" said the Doctor.  
>"Oh, lovely, lovely" said Burton.<br>Just then the door burst open and Billy entered, beaming triumphantly. He carefully unbuckled the ceremonial sword and returned it to Burton. "We did it!" he cried. The others in the office stared blankly at him. Billy pointed at his ears and suddenly they smiled, removing the beeswax plugs from their ears. The Doctor leaned in through the window, grinning. "Now, come and see your new spaceship, Delta, Princess," he said.

"You all go ahead," said Billy. "I have to go and pack..." A frown crossed the Doctor's face.

"I'll catch up with you later. I must have a word with Billy," said the Doctor, disappearing from sight. He managed to intercept Billy en route to his cabin.

The Bannermen are all trussed up, with Mel and Nita standing guard with their own weapons. Weismuller was walking along the line of captives, shaking his head. "Boy, you're the sorriest bunch of Bannermen I've ever seen!" he said smugly.

Just then Hawk wandered up, looking puzzled. Weismuller saw him and called him over saying, "Hawk, come here partner. You wanted to get even and now we are. About as even as we can get, I reckon. They don't look like much do they, all trussed up like Thanksgiving turkeys," he said, trying to coax a reaction from his partner.

Delta and her daughter emerged hand-in-hand from the camp. She stopped beside the TARDIS and addressed everyone present. "Thank you for your help and courage. All of you," she said.  
>"Are Billy and the Doctor all right?" asked Nita.<br>"Yes," said Delta. "Billy's just changing..."

Nita bit her lip and looked sad. Mel put a comforting arm about her. Nita knew that she was about to lose Billy for ever. All her hopes and plans would come to nothing. She also knew that Billy had no choice but to follow the dictates of his heart, and being a basically decent person, Nita bore him neither him nor Delta any ill will. She had to be practical. She would just have to organize her life differently, that's all. She thought about Mel's life with the Doctor in the TARDIS. The hardest thing of all to bear was the probability that she would never again be able to see Billy.

She didn't know where Chumeria was, but she was wise enough to know that it was too far to travel for a weekend. She was happy to have made such good friends with Mel and the Doctor and thought that they were very special people. Although it wouldn't be long before they too were taking off in their funny little spaceship, to strange planets she had never even heard of. Nita sniffed a couple of times and a single tear rolled down her cheek. If only she could go with them...

Billy was indeed changing. His skin is getting shinier. His eyes and his hair had become darker, recognizably Chimeron. The Doctor stole a sideways glance at him as they entered his cabin. The room was identical to the others, except that it had been decorated by the addition of posters of large motorbikes. They covered every door and all available wall space. Billy's guetto blaster had AC/DC playing. His suitcase was open on the bed as he packed his few remaining possessions.

The Doctor was pacing restlessly. Finally, he stopped and faced Billy. "I know without a male the race will be wiped out, but I haven't seen many examples of species crossing. There could be the most dreadful mutation."

Billy opened another tube of the high-protein food and squeezed it into his mouth. "It's our only chance, Doctor," he mumbled through the gooey slime.  
>"That's exactly why it shouldn't be squandered on reckless experimentation!" said the Doctor with mounting exasperation. Exasperation because he knew that whatever he said to Billy would have no effect in changing his mind. Still, the Doctor had a responsibility to try and warn him of any pitfalls.<p>

"Well, I reckon it's too late now," said Billy with a cheerful grin. He removed the cassette from the guetto blaster and put it in his suitcase. He closed the cassette deck and reached under the bed for his guitar case.

The Doctor finally sat down on the bed and gave a long sigh. "I can't condone this foolishness, but then, love has never been known for its rationality," he said. Billy gave him a wide grin. The Doctor noticed how the sunlight bounced off his skin, which now had a silvery-green hue.

They left Billy's cabin and went to the boatshed. The Doctor waited impatiently while Billy fiddled around inside before finally appearing with a box full of mechanical bits. The Doctor hopped into the sidecar and Billy kicked the Vincent into life. "Did you manage to get it all?" shouted the Doctor above the roar of the engine.

"Uh-huh," nodded Billy, "Cables, chain, plugs, points, condenser, rings, brake shoes and a spare clutch."

"That should do it," muttered the Doctor as Billy slipped the bike into gear. "I can't think of anyone who'd appreciate it more," said Billy as they headed for the gate.


	34. Chapter Thirty-Three

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

Inside Gavrok's spaceship the groggy Bannermen had been bound back-to-back and were stacked like a miserable cord of firewood, waiting to be picked up by the Judoon on behalf of the Shadow Proclamation. Delta, Hawk and Weismuller were standing over them. Weismuller nodded towards the Bannermen. "Well, that should hold them all the way back to Mars, or wherever you're going," he said.  
>"Considerably further than that," replied Delta.<p>

Hawk seemed to have partially recovered from his stupor and looked like he was rather enjoying the spectacle. Every now and then he would nudge or prod a Bannerman. "That will teach you to mess with us earthlings. Earthlings! What am I saying?" he chuckled to himself.

Weismuller hoped Hawk was beginning to get back to his old self. He was feeling slightly apprehensive about what he was going to put in his report. He thought that there was a strong possibility that his explanation of the recent events would be met with some scepticism.

The young girl came running in, pointing towards the camp.  
>Billy and the Doctor appeared on his Vincent and stopped beside the Bannermen craft. Billy had become pure Chimeron. Delta stepped out to meet them, her arm still around her daughter. "Everything ship-shape?" said Billy, grinning.<p>

Delta nodded and turned towards the others. "I don't know how I can ever thank you for what you've done. You've saved my planet and my people. You will always be welcomed there as heroes," she said.

Billy put an arm around her. "Goodbye, everyone." He turned to Nita who was gulping back a tear. "I'll always think of you here at Shangri La, Nita," he said, smiling at her.

Nita swallowed a lump. "Goodbye, Billy. I won't forget you, either..." she stammered as the hatch started to close.

"Oh, I almost forgot," yelled Billy. "Will you look after the Vincent for me? Remember to feather the clutch," were his final words.

Nita's face lit up as she looked at the gleaming Vincent standing beside her. She climbed aboard, awed by its magnificence. She turned to thank Billy but the hatch had already closed. The ship gave a brief judder then took off. "Thanks Billy. Take care of yourself," she whispered and blew a kiss into the clear blue sky.

The Doctor circled the bike studying it closely. "What are you thinking, Doctor?" asked Nita.

"I was just speculating what this vehicle would be like with more sophisticated braking and suspension systems."

"Are you kidding? This is the best there is."

The Doctor turned and started walking towards the TARDIS.

"Stop!" said Mel.

"No, don't worry," said the Doctor. "Gavrok absorbed so much energy that the device has lost all its power." The Doctor knocks the cone off the top of the Tardis with his umbrella.

Hawk, who had now developed a nervous twitch, was blinking furiously. "Now I can call Washington," he said decisively. But then he stopped and his jaw hung slack. "But I don't know what to say..." he trailed off. Weismuller put a comforting arm around him.

"No one has to call them old buddy. We can take it easy," he said.

"That sounds like a good idea. How does a holiday sound to you, Mel?" said the Doctor.

"A month at least," she replied with a grin.

"Way hey. Ah, Mister Burton. Thank you for saving Mel's life," said the Doctor.  
>"No, thank you, Doctor. I haven't had such a shindig since I went buffalo hunting in Africa. Oh, it's a ferocious brute, you know, the buffalo..." said Burton, trailing off into reminiscence.<br>Goronwy appeared and, reaching into his pocket, he produced a jar of fine golden honey. "1928, hibiscus blossom," he said, handing the jar to the Doctor. The Doctor's eyes lit up.  
>"Oh, what a sweet gesture. The nectar of honey or the honey of nectar. Oh, you're more than a collector, Goronwy. You're a man of taste!"<p>

"Thank you Doctor. And now I must get back to my little friends. They will be expecting me and we have a lot of work to do," said the old man, winking at the Doctor. He turned towards Hawk and Weismuller. "Ah, my American friends. If you are ever again in the vicinity looking for strange objects that fall from the sky, drop in for tea. I enjoyed our little chat before."

"Why thank you sir. That's very fine of you to offer," replied Weismuller with a pleased look on his face.

Just then a tour bus arrived at the gates of the camp. Its roof-mounted loudspeaker was playing music at high volume.  
>"Oh, good heavens! I completely forgot - The Skegness Glee Club, and I haven't got any staff. I really must dash – goodbye," said Burton, furiously pumping the Doctor and Mel's hands before trotting off to welcome the new intake of campers.<p>

The only people now left were Mel and the Doctor, Hawk and Weismuller, and Nita. Something caught the Doctor's eye. There, hanging from the top of the metal gatepost, was the American satellite. Large and round and slightly dented from its interstellar impact but basically still intact.

The Doctor pointed at it, saying, "I believe this is your satellite, gentlemen." Weismuller slowly turned and gawped at the glittering orb. His face cracked into a smile which became a whoop of glee. He clapped Hawk between his skinny shoulder blades so hard that he almost fell over.

"We did it! We actually did it, Hawk!" he cried with delight.

Everything had turned out all right in the end. Now that they had the sattelite there would be no need to mention Bannermen and spaceships, and they could go home practically as heroes. Hawk would probably receive a medal for being wounded on active duty.

"Goodbye," said Mel. The Doctor gestures for Mel to get into the Tardis, then raises his hat to Goronwy and follows her.

"Wait!" cried Nita. The Doctor turned to face her. "Please, take me with you!"

The Doctor thought about it. Even though she hadn't been much use on the spaceship, she had helped a lot otherwise. "Wouldn't your family worry about you? Your very young," he said.

"Didn't you say this is a time-machine?" asked Nita.

"Yes," the Doctor confirmed.

"Well, couldn't you bring me back on the same day I left?" asked Nita.

"I suppose so," said the Doctor. Mel rolled her eyes, knowing how unreliable the Doctor's driving could be.

"Well, then, they wouldn't miss me," said Nita. "And I could always write them a letter and tell them I'm going travelling with some friends."

"All right, on one condition," said the Doctor. "If you let me do some work on the Vincent."

"Absolutely!" cried Anita.

"All right then," said the Doctor. "I'll wait for you to pack."

"I'm packed already!" cried Anita, holding up a backpack. She followed him and Mel into the TARDIS, pushing the Vincent.

At that moment Weismuller couldn't be happier. He turned back to the TARDIS. "Thanks, Doctor..." he started to say but his mouth fell open. The blue police callbox had vanished as if it had never existed. Weismuller, no longer surprised at anything, scanned the heavens for any sign of the disappearing spacecraft. All he could see was a clear blue sky with the occasional bird breaking through its smooth surface. He turned slowly back to where the satellite hung on the gatepost. It was still there. "C'mon old buddy," he said to Hawk, "we're going home..."

**Wow, I've actually finished a story! Something I've never done before. I've always given up before it was finished. I know it's not an original story, and I'd like to repeat that I've relied heavily on episode transcripts and the novelisation by Malcolm Kohll. **


End file.
